The Fall (Pun Intended) of 2008

Nero Never Stopped Fiddling. The Bible says that humans tend to follow men instead of God, which is tragic, because following men is guaranteed to produce dire (truly dire!) outcomes.  The Lord says:

The lofty looks of man shall be humbled. The haughtiness of man shall be bowed down (Isaiah 2:11). In that day, a man will cast away his idols of silver and go to the crags of the rugged rocks from the terror of the Lord when He arises to shake the earth mightily (Isaiah 2:21).

For Jerusalem stumbled, and Judah is fallen because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord... The look on their countenance witnesses against them, and they declare their sin as Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to their soul! For they have brought evil upon themselves (Isaiah 3:8-9).

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight… Their blossoms will ascend like dust because they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 5:20-24).

Lord God, we (like sheep) are being led to the precipice where our very own leaders will unintentionally push us over the edge. We see the foolishness of having followed men who were not following You, O Lord -- even some of us who consult with You every day about everything. We acknowledge that apart from You we can do nothing; indeed that we have found ourselves powerless. We have tried to contend for Your truth in this broken world, but many will not listen. We have tried to derail the murder of innocents, but many do not believe that abortion is murder. Forgive them for they know not what they do, O God Most High.They are hoodwinked, Lord, just  like we were until You came and removed the blindfolds. Until You do this, Lord, they cannot hear us, Lord – they deride us just as they derided You. So now, oh Lord, will it be another Rome burning?

Help them see, Lord, that it is You and You alone who can lead us to safety. I pray that You will do this, Lord, that You will trouble the hearts on whom You are knocking! That you will trouble them so much that they even stop fiddling for a moment and stop their whistling in the wind. That they will inquire, see that it is You Who is knocking on the door of their heart, and that they will decide to invite You in!

This photograph is from a Facebook page called Live Life in Color.