The State of Our Israel

First, I pose a question. How long will we continue to make excuses for the way that we live our lives?

Bryan, the response to that is simple. We're not making excuses. We're not hiding what we do - we just don't think that we're as bad as you might make us out to be.

That's an interesting perspective; however, I'd like to outline a little of what was said by the prophet Amos. He is speaking to the Israelites during the time of Jeroboam (just following Solomon and Rehoboam). God has sent him a judgement for Israel, and chapter two, verse six picks up the part that is directed at them.

In verses 6-8, we see, what I will express in modern terms, the innocent and needy are ignored; the poor are left behind; sexual promiscuity is horrific; they're living beyond their means; and, they abuse the good things that should be set apart for the LORD. Now, normally I would have just said, "Yah, that's how Israel was back then," except for the fact that these sins are far too closely related to what is happening today.

What do you mean when you say that the innocent and needy are ignored? Look at our foster system. I could leave it at that, but there is more to the story. We are so concerned with being "politically correct" that there are thousands of children without homes and they shouldn't be. Why? Because people abuse the system. They'll take money for helping children, but as soon as the children stop behaving (most likely due to a lack of care and love), they want to put the kids back into the system. We care more for our animals than we do our children.

Add to that, the number of people in your own community that are without jobs and are helpless, because no one will step up to help them. We haven't even started looking outside our own borders, but there is more and I won't take the time to spell it all out.

What do you mean that the poor are left behind? Didn't they deserve it in the first place? I mean, 80-90% of the homeless are so, because they choose to be. There are so many agencies to help them get back on their feet. The fact that they haven't done anything about it means that they didn't want to do anything.

I'm not talking about the homeless, I'm talking about the poor. Sure, the homeless can be poor and the poor can be homeless; but, often there are people right under our nose that are dying for help and we're too stubborn to look their way. We're afraid that if we acknowledge their need, that we'll have to take responsibility for them. That's just it! No one is taking responsibility to help those that are in need.

I'll admit that the state of our sexuality has gone a little far; but, it's not like we weren't meant to be sexual creatures. Really? That's the hill of battle that you're going to die upon? Israel is accused of allowing fathers and sons to take advantage of the same girl. For one, that's incestuous. For two, it defies God's original intent for marriage.

And, think about the teens that are growing up in today's world! I just read a post the other day that went like this: "I'm tired of guys, so I guess I'll turn to girls." Ten years ago, the argument for homosexuality was, "God made me this way," and everyone would try to use the Bible to argue for or against. This doesn't even come close to that argument. This statement means that no one is helping this young girl to understand who she is. No one is teaching her right from wrong. No one is telling her that her sexual purity is not to be given away on a whim of boredom. What's worse than this? She thinks that she has no one to turn to.

"Our sexuality has gone a little far" is the greatest understatement of the last decade.

How are we living beyond our means? Well, let's start with foreclosures. But, go beyond that. People are living off of so much credit, they don't even see the light at the end of their payment tunnel. Rather than doing our best with the resources that we have, people are spending all of their money to prove to others that they aren't poor. THAT is living beyond your means.

Who cares if you have jewels on your jeans? Who cares if you have the greatest pair of sunglasses that the world has ever seen? Who cares if your car has 22-in rims and a sound system that can be heard in the next county? Aren't these all material possessions and in the grand scheme can't be taken with us?

We keep the church sacred, so don't even try to argue that one. Well, we used to keep it sacred. Now, it doesn't mean anything to us. I don't care if you go once a month or four times a week; if, the LORD's things are not kept sacred, then you're just wasting your time. We don't worship the LORD. We worship the act of worship. No, actually, we worship feelings. And honestly, that's not any better than abusing sex.

I was listening to "Arms Open Wide" by Hillsong United. In that song, we sing, "My whole life is Yours, I give it all, surrendered to Your name." When are we going to stop lying about that. Our whole life isn't His. We haven't surrendered anything that we didn't feel like giving up in the first place. And, nothing has been given to God, except our wasted time and breath.

This is the state of our Israel. When are we going to fully commit everything that we have to our LORD? Because as of now, we're just making excuses.