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- Oct 26, 2007
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The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, "Now, son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyre, Ezekiel 27:1-1 NKJV
In the prophet Ezekiel’s day, Tyre was an amazing Mediterranean coastal city known throughout the region as a leader in shipping and commerce. But, as so often happens to the powerful and influential, Tyre became filled with pride and self-sufficiency (see Ezekiel 28), and God was about to judge the city.
Ezekiel was not happy about the eventual fate of Tyre, and neither was God. Our heavenly Father always prefers that people turn to Him so they can live (see Ezekiel 18), but eventually there comes a time when He must judge unrepentant sinners.
Have you ever looked down on sinners—especially people whose sin hurts others badly—hoping God would just drop the hammer? It’s not a bad thing to want God to act on behalf of those who are mistreated, but at the same time, we should keep our hearts soft toward sinners.
We should feel grief over injustice in our world, but we should join Ezekiel—and God—in feeling a sense of sorrow over those who are lost and without direction from the God who loved us enough to save us.
Prayer: Sovereign God, keep my heart soft toward those who need to hear the message You have for a fallen, sinful world. Give me the courage to say what You want me to say, when You want me to say it.
In the prophet Ezekiel’s day, Tyre was an amazing Mediterranean coastal city known throughout the region as a leader in shipping and commerce. But, as so often happens to the powerful and influential, Tyre became filled with pride and self-sufficiency (see Ezekiel 28), and God was about to judge the city.
Ezekiel was not happy about the eventual fate of Tyre, and neither was God. Our heavenly Father always prefers that people turn to Him so they can live (see Ezekiel 18), but eventually there comes a time when He must judge unrepentant sinners.
Have you ever looked down on sinners—especially people whose sin hurts others badly—hoping God would just drop the hammer? It’s not a bad thing to want God to act on behalf of those who are mistreated, but at the same time, we should keep our hearts soft toward sinners.
We should feel grief over injustice in our world, but we should join Ezekiel—and God—in feeling a sense of sorrow over those who are lost and without direction from the God who loved us enough to save us.
Prayer: Sovereign God, keep my heart soft toward those who need to hear the message You have for a fallen, sinful world. Give me the courage to say what You want me to say, when You want me to say it.
