“I am Ashamed and Blush”...the Wayfarer 10/8/13

“I am Ashamed and Blush”

10/8/13

“And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and Spread out my hands unto the LORD my God,

And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.”

(Ezra 9:5 & 6)

Today, we go once more, to the prophets, those whose teachings were taught to our Lord from an early age, that He knew so well, and quoted in his ministry, those whose writings he discussed and debated in the temple as a 13 year old that gained the attention of all who heard Him.

The prophet, to whom we go today, wrote for the Jewish people after their having established the second temple at Jerusalem. The first few chapters of the book are devoted to the building of that temple, and the difficulties encountered as the efforts began, through its completion.

This is the same temple that Christ preached from, and from which he chased the money changers and merchants who were defiling it.

This Temple was important, not only as a gathering place for the remnant returned from captivity at the time, but to the reestablishment of Israel as a nation.

We find that some of the other peoples had requested to contribute and help with the construction, but were rebuffed, and then chose to persecute the Jewish people’s efforts to get it done.

As the work progressed, the Jews, again, mixed with those peoples, once again taking far too many of their customs and traditions.

By the time of its completion, they had forgotten the very holiness and singularity of being God’s chosen people.

This is where I pick up with the scripture given us by Ezra, and the prayer necessitated by this falling away.

“Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day, and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered unto the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.

And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.

For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.

And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken thy commandments,”

(Ezra 9:7-10)

Ezra opened his prayer by first admitting the guilt of the nation, and lamenting the facts of that guilt.

Before forgiveness may be given, there must always be a recognition by any petitioner of exactly what needs forgiveness!

Ezra gave thanks… and proper credit to God, for the fact that the nation even continued to exist, only through the mercy and grace of God!

He continues in this same vein as we go deeper into his prayer, one that in many ways mirrors a need for similar prayer today, by yet another people who seem to have forgotten where they came from, and seem to no longer care where they are going.

“Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.

Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.”

(Ezra 9:11&12)

Israel, in direct contravention to the commandments given them, allowed themselves to become polluted by customs and beliefs of the people they were among while in bondage. Few perceived the need to eschew the political correctness that they thought necessary to stay alive among foreign peoples. This political correctness violated, again, all covenants made between them and God, that they would be His people, and under His protection. Instead they pursued a path of go along to get along, weakening themselves more and more with each violation, and with each time none spoke out  about those violations!

“And after all that is come upon us for our evil deed, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this;

Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? Wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so there should be no remnant nor escaping?

O Lord God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold we are before thee in our trespasses; for we cannot stand before thee because of this.”

(Ezra 9:13-15)

Ezra recognized the need for repentance in order to receive the redemption of a nation that was so long in captivity. His prayer was that that nation no longer continue to ignore the commandments given them, and made a point of comprehending that even God has limits to which any nation will be allowed to go, when it chooses to ignore His laws in favor of those that are more palatable to a majority of an unredeemed, unrepentant, stiff necked, unbelieving society.

He closed this prayer in recognition, that all power to either bless or consume rests in the hands of God alone.

“Preacher, here you go again, with a prayer from some old duff written to an entirely different world, how can this possibly pertain to ME?”

Just as that long ago nation, even in the midst of building its most important temple, chose to ignore the commandments that they found unpalatable, and would have worshipped only in decay, and only with lip service, while marveling at the great architectural accomplishment of having built that temple, so do many, far too many today choose only to look to the grand gathering places, the stained glass windows and expensive adornments instead  of looking for redemption offered only through repentance, as was and is the message  to God’s people then and now.

Just as Ezra understood that that particular people were only allowed to exist and prosper through the grace of a righteous, and demanding God, ALL nations are subject to both his grace…. And his wrath!

As it was then, it is also now, time that God’s people remember that they are His people, subject to His law above that of their own society, and stand for that which they profess to believe.

It is only through the sacrifice of Jesus, and His constant intercession that stays the hand of that wrath.

It is time to be who you say you are.

It is time to pray with all your heart mind and soul for this and all nations that attempt to circumvent commandments given by the All Powerful God from the beginning of time,

It is time that we too, like Ezra, pray for a little reviving among our people!  

It is time to remember the requirement given by our Savior to

“Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”

Lip service is no longer adequate, nor was it ever.

Stand in His light, or choose to wallow in the darkness you create for yourselves by refusing to comprehend the love that has been given to you, and intended to be shared by you with others.

I close today stating that, like old Ezra, I am ashamed, and blush to lift up my face in supplication to my God for a nation that continues to reject Him.

I still remain as I must that same simple sinner saved by grace, called many years ago to preach to a people I find to be more alien each day, still an unworthy, but willing soldier In His service, until such time that service is no longer required, and I am able to face the throne of grace, in full knowledge that I am no alien to either my God or my savior!

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen 
the Wayfarer