Late on this one. Weddings and Graduations... Am I Right? All jokes aside, some serious stuff ahead.
As I prayed this week, I was taken to a few different places.
10 “You, son of man, say to the house of Israel: ‘You have said, “Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us and we are pining away in them. So how can we live.” 11 Say to them: ‘As I live’—it is a declaration of Adonai—‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Return, return from your evil ways. Why will you die, O house of Israel?’
12 “You, son of man, say to the children of your people: ‘The righteousness of the righteous person will not deliver him in the day of his transgression. Nor will the wickedness of the wicked person make him stumble in it on the day he turns away from his wickedness. Nor will the righteous person be able to live by it on the day he sins. 13 When I tell the righteous that he will surely live, but he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteous deeds will be remembered. But in his iniquity that he has committed, he will die. 14 When I say to the wicked, “You will surely die,” yet he turns from his sin and does what is just and right— 15 if the wicked restores a pledge, gives back what he had taken by robbery, walks in the laws of life, committing no iniquity—he will surely live, he will not die. 16 None of his sins that he has committed will be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he will surely live.’
17 “Yet the children of your people say, ‘The way of Adonai isn’t fair!’ but it is their way, theirs that is unfair. 18 When a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he will die in it. 19 When a wicked person turns from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he will live by it. 20 Yet you say, ‘The way of Adonai is not fair!’ House of Israel, I will judge every one of you according to his ways.”
Ezekiel 33:10-20 TLV
But Wait, there's more...Much More
Hear the word of Adonai, Bnei-Yisrael! For Adonai has a dispute with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, no covenant loyalty, and no knowledge of God in the land. 2 Curse, deceive, murder, steal, commit adultery! They practice violence, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.3 Therefore the land will mourn, and everyone dwelling in it will languish along with the beasts of the field and the flying creatures of the sky— even the fish of the sea will be removed. 4 Yet let no one dispute and let no one argue. Your people are like a kohen who makes quarrels. 5 So you will stumble by day. Also a prophet will stumble with you by night, when I destroy your mother. 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Since you rejected knowledge, I will also reject you from being My kohen. Since you forgot the Torah of your God, just so I will forget your children. 7 The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me. I will change their glory into disgrace.8 They feed on the sin of My people and relish their iniquity. 9 But it will be like people, like kohen. So I will punish them for their ways, and repay them for their deeds. 10 They have eaten but will not be satisfied. They have fornicated but will not increase. For they stopped giving heed to Adonai. 11 Prostitution and wine—even new wine— it takes away understanding.12 My people consult their wooden idol and their divining rod informs them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have been a prostitute—out from under their God. 13 They sacrifice on the mountaintops and on the high places they burn incense under oak poplar, and terebinth—for its shade is good. Therefore your daughters are prostitutes and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.14 Will I not punish your daughters for prostitution or your daughters-in-law for adultery? For they consort with prostitutes, and they sacrifice with cult prostitutes. A people without understanding will be thrust down. 15 Though you, Israel, are a prostitute, let Judah not become guilty. But do not come to Gilgal or go up to Beth-aven,[a] and do not swear: ‘As Adonai lives!’ 16 For Israel is stubborn like a stubborn cow. Now Adonai will pasture them like a lamb in the open field. 17 Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone! 18 Their liquor has come to an end. They surely have practiced prostitution. Her rulers have deeply loved disgrace. 19 A wind will wrap her up in its wings. They will be ashamed of their sacrifices.
Hosea 4 TLV
Hear this, O priests! Pay attention, O house of Israel! Give ear, O house of the king! For the judgment applies to you: For you were a snare at Mizpah and a net spread on Tabor. 2 Rebels were deep in slaughter, so I am a chastisement for them all. 3 I myself have known Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me. For now, Ephraim, you are a prostitute—Israel is defiled! 4 They will not give up their evil deeds to return to their God. For a spirit of prostitution is in them, and Adonai they have not known. 5 The Pride of Israel will answer to his face: Israel and Ephraim will stagger in their iniquity, Judah also will stumble with them. 6 With their flocks and with their herds they will go to seek Adonai, but they will not find Him— He has withdrawn from them. 7 They have betrayed Adonai, for they have begotten foreign children. Now the New Moon will devour them, with their portions. 8 Blow a shofar in Gibeah, a trumpet in Ramah! Sound an alarm at Beth-aven: “Behind you, Benjamin!” 9 Ephraim will be become desolate in the day of rebuke. Among the tribes of Israel I made known what is certain.10 The princes of Judah were like those who move a boundary mark. I pour out My fury on them like water. 11 Oppressed is Ephraim, crushed by judgment, for he willingly followed a worthless thing. 12 So, I will be like a moth to Ephraim and like decay to the house of Judah. 13 When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound, Ephraim went to Assyria and sent envoys to a warring king. But he cannot heal you nor will he cure your wound. 14 For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah.I, even I, will tear and go away. I will carry off, and nobody will rescue.15 I will go and return to My place until they admit their guilt. Then they will seek My face. In their distress they will seek Me earnestly:
Hosea 5 TLV
Come, let us return to Adonai. For He has torn, but He will heal us. He has smitten, but He will bind us up. 2 After two days He will revive us. On the third day He will raise us up, and we will live in His presence.3 So let us know, let us strive to know Adonai. Like dawn His going forth is certain. He will come to us like the rain, like the latter rain watering the earth.
Hosea 6:1-3 TLV
This week the focus should be as Hosea has said.
Let us return to Adonai. Pray that we would know him. Pray that we would seek his face. Pray that as we seek him he would heal us. Pray that he would bind us up. Pray that he would revive us and that we would live in his presence.
Pray that he would come to us like the rain to quench our thirst for him.