Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
That was our prayer last night as we journeyed together through the second episode of A World Unbroken, Broken. Creation and all of its beauty and goodness that we talked about and experienced last week has become broken, no longer what it was created to be.
It’s not hard to see brokenness in our world, is it? From ourselves to our personal relationships to the atrocities that happen around the world, we see the effects of human beings choosing their (our) own ways over God’s perfect way. Just as we read about the effects of the first humans’ choice to do their own thing (Gen. 3), we recognize that every human since then has chosen their own way as well.
The words in the video last night come straight from the book of Hosea:
“Blow the trumpet! Sound the alarm! Vultures are circling over God’s people who have broken my covenant and defied my revelation. Predictably, Israel cries out, ‘My God! We know you!’ But they don’t act like it. Israel will have nothing to do with what’s good, and now the enemy is after them.
“They crown kings, but without asking me. They set up princes but don’t let me in on it. Instead, they make idols, using silver and gold, idols that will be their ruin.”
God is not pleased! I’m fed up-I’ll keep remembering their guilt. I’ll punish their sins and send them back to Egypt. Israel has forgotten his Maker and gotten busy making palaces. Judah has gone in for a lot of fortress cities. I’m sending fire on their cities to burn down their fortifications.”
“On the other hand…”
Hosea 8:1-5, 13-14; Leviticus 26:40
A couple reflections that we had last night as we talked about this scripture:
1) We too have crowned kings, set up princes, and made idols. We too have forgotten our Maker. We too have gotten busy making palaces (perhaps literally and figuratively). The story of Israel is our story as well.
2) We also talked last night about God’s reaction to his creation going against his way, his plan for them. Hosea says God is not pleased! He’s fed up and will remember their guilt. He’ll punish their sins. He’ll send fire on their cities, their idols. It’s very easy for us to hear and read these words and think God is angry with the Israelites, angry with us. And that God is just out to punish someone. In a sense, this may be true - their is punishment (consequence) for sin. On the other hand…
God is abundant in love and mercy. God is ready to forgive, ready to remember his covenant. Yes, we will experience the consequences of our sins and the sins of those around us - we experience this brokenness often. And, as we know and will talk about later in the series, there is One who has experienced it as well. God is waiting, ready to forgive and offer mercy. And so we pray together, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Next week: Promise
