Abominations

Thus says the LORD: I will prove the holiness of my great name, profaned among the nations, in whose midst you have profaned it. Thus the nations shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD, when in their sight I prove my holiness through you. For I will take you away from among the nations, gather you from all the foreign lands, and bring you back to your own land. 

I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees. You shall live in the land I gave your ancestors; you shall be my people, and I will be your God. (Ezekiel 36:23-28)

Through blogging I’ve come to better appreciate Ezekiel because so much of what he said to his listeners is apropos for all of us today during these difficult times of racial injustice, economic misery for millions of Americans, and political fighting that has grown into hatred and extreme tribal warfare.  For example, in the August 13 issue of The Boston Globe there was a front-page article entitled: “Group girds for onslaught of on-line hate, attacks.”  Hate poisons the soul including the soul of our nation.

We all need to be sprinkled with clean water to cleanse us from all our impurities [such as hatred] and from all our idols [such as political biases and prejudices].  Jesus, please take away our stony hearts and give us natural hearts.  Help us prove our holiness through you.  

However, it has been said that the LORD does hate.  According to Proverbs (6:16-19), there are seven “abominations to him.”  They are: haughty eyes; a lying tongue; hands that shed innocent blood; a heart that plots wicked schemes; feet that are quick to run to evil; the false witness who utters lies; and the one who sows discord among kindred.   We should share the LORD’s hatred because these abominations are contrary to love.

Deacon David Pierce