“Thus says the Lord God: A city that sheds blood in her midst, so that her time may come, and that makes idols to defile herself. You have become guilty by the blood that you have shed and defiled by the idols that you have made.” Ezekiel 22:3-4
The blame game. We all love to play it. Democrats blame Republicans. Republicans blame Democrats. The poor blame the rich. The rich blame the poor. The people blame politicians and the politicians blame the people - at least those who belong to the other party.
We have been playing the blame game for a long time. It started in Genesis and continues to this day. We as a people are guilty of shedding blood in our cities - in our midst - and setting up idols to our base desires. We elect officials who promote our lowest nature and then we decry the state of our nation and our society.
Thomas Jefferson said, “The people elect the government they deserve.” Politics is always downstream from culture.
The blame game we play in our personal lives - blaming others, blaming God - has far reaching effects and consequences. If we want to see change in society, it must begin in the individual heart. Unfortunately, no one in power ever talks about this. They only talk about the necessity of killing the unborn and the eating of pets.
God will not be mocked. For whatever one sows, so shall he reap. This goes for the individual - and as Ezekiel shows, a nation - a people - as well. It is incumbent upon the church to be the change we want to see. If we do not exhibit Godliness who will? If change does not start in our hearts then where?
Prayer: Lord God, I have fallen short of your glory I have shed blood with my tongue. I have murdered in my heart. I have erected idols and worshipped my desires - I have worshiped myself. I have justified it all by blaming you and blaming others. Create in me a clean heart, O Lord, and renew a right spirit within me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.