Forfeited Blessings – Hosea 7:1
When I would heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered, and the evil deeds of Samaria, for they deal falsely; the thief enters in, bandits raid outside,
Jesus has gloriously good intentions toward us. He has given us light that we may dwell in His fullness, and He has given us grace that we may receive His light. He looks upon us, longing to bless us with peace and prosperity. He implores us to have a heart of obedience, to have reverence for Him, and to obey His commandments, so He may lead us into the land where we would have abundance, where things would go well for our children and us.[1]
However, although we ardently speak as devotees of God and outwardly demonstrate our faith, many of us too often fail to abide in the light. Rather than clinging to godliness, we participate in that which is abhorrent to God, as if He, being oblivious to our actions, will not hold us accountable for them. We, the Church, have corporately allowed impurity and ungodliness to pervade our land, where holiness should reign supreme.
Sadly, we, along with the generations that will follow us, will pay the price for our collective unfaithfulness.[2] Inch by inch, through our complicity and lethargy, we have ceded control to those who have perverted our airwaves, corrupted our textbooks, mocked our values, and most disgracefully, murdered our unborn. Although we rejoice in periodic victories for our Christian values, we are sinking lower every year. Our collective national sin rises to heaven as a testimony against us before our holy God, being odious to Him, causing Him to spurn those who commit it.[3] We act as victims, but we are culpable when we refuse to stand apart from all that is unholy and to stand up for that which is true and right. We are forfeiting the blessings God desires for us and causing our prayers to go unanswered.
Believer, help restore our nation
to one grounded in biblical values. Live
and breathe the Word of God. Read it,
absorb it into your soul, and obey it.[4] Walk with Christ,
fearing Him, and refuse to participate in that which is unclean and impure. Refuse to accept the prevailing wisdom that
we have permanently forfeited the Lord’s blessing on our land, and plead with
Him to revive us, so the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its
wings, drawing the lost into the Light, and bringing rejoicing to the hearts of
God’s people.[5]
[1] Deuteronomy 5:29
[2] Exodus 20:5
[3] Deuteronomy 32:15-19
[4] 2 Kings 23:2-3
[5] Malachi 4:2
