Jerusalem's Judgment Inescapable

God directly addresses the question of justice that arises in response to His wrath. God states His case clearly – the actions of Israel have been so evil that even the presence of great saints couldn’t outweigh the sin of the people. The Bible is clear about this again and again – all of us, on our own, are deserving of God’s wrath. Even the most kind and moral of us, weighed on the scales of God’s perfection, come up sorely wanting. God acts to save – to save some of wicked Israel, and to save sinners today. But this is because God is good – not because we are good.

 

STUDY THE SCRIPTURE

Click here to access the reading from Ezekiel 14:12-23

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REFLECTION

A Gift Received, Not Inherited

By Judy Webb

This is one of those readings which seems to smack us right in the face. We can’t get to Heaven on someone else’s coat tails. We won’t be saved because our parents or our grandparents had faithful and loving relationships with Jesus. We may have inherited their good looks, or their propensity for straight teeth, but we won’t inherit their place in the kingdom.

“Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals, even if these three men—Noah, Daniel and Job—were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign Lord. (Ezekiel 14:13-14)

Each person must have their own personal relationship with Jesus. Each of us must relinquish our individual gods and embrace Jesus on an intimate level. No lukewarm communication with or knowledge of Jesus will do it. Just because our earthly father loved the Lord and was welcomed into eternity with Him, doesn’t mean we have an automatic in.

Salvation is a personal gift, redeemable only by the one who receives it. While dad may have impressed upon us the importance of obeying God, reading His word, and following His commands – only our obedience will result in salvation. We may have seen an example of prayer and faithfulness from our praying mother, but unless we embrace a faith in Jesus and grab ahold of that personal relationship with Him, it is just an wrapped gift we never opened and put to use.

Jesus, help us to accept the precious gift of Salvation which you died to provide for us. Teach us to do the work of growing our faith so that our example will rub off on those around us. Example isn’t enough though; action is required.

UALC’S CAMPAIGN OF PRAYER - FRIDAY

FAITH - Pray for faith instead of fear, that many would come to faith in Jesus and that we would all trust God more deeply during this time.