9.22.26

Ezekiel 18

"29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?

30 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.”

God loves his people and desires us to turn (repent) to him to be with him in eternity.

I'm early into this "granddad" thing, but being a granddad seems to fit well. I've decided on "Pops." My wife is "Cici" already with our nephew's kids, so she's sticking with that. I don't mind "grandpa" if you want to know the truth, but I like "Pops" for some reason. Our granddaughter is charming, already smiling and has more facial expressions than I'd like to count. She came early, so she is tiny. I'm not a big man, average size, but if you see me holding her, you'd think I played defensive lineman for a major D1 university or pro team. She's a keeper in my opinion.

What could she, or my own children for that matter, ever do to alienate me? I'm conservative in my thinking, but my son and daughter are very independent. We don't agree on everything, but I love to hear their thought processes on issues we face today. They are thinking humans who are passionate on a number of fronts. Add to the mix a daughter-in-law who is an educator. Parenting has its rewards, I've learned. We don't agree on everything, but it is never to the point of alienation.

God is not happy with Israel. He has allowed them to condemn themselves through their own actions. He's allowed other countries to occupy them, to scatter them, and to destroy or take the things they've loved, the artifacts of their heritage. Israel has declared God is not fair, but God counters, "Your ways are the ways that are not right, not mine!"

God is consistent. He is steadfast in his love, slow to anger, and abounding in love for his people. He tells Israel, and us, to turn (repent), and return (repent) to him. God desires us to be in eternity (life) with him, so "turn and live." Our actions alienate us from God (sin). Like a father or grandfather, nothing thrills us more than to see our children come home (figuratively mostly), to stay tethered to the mothership and let us hear from them frequently. Independence is not alienation, but acting in a way that is foreign to our design is. It's painful at times as a parent, and God tells us our ways are painful to him. 

Because of our love as parents/grandparents, we hold out hope. God gives his children hope through the suffering, death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ, to turn and return to him for life, eternal life. 

Pray with me: Gracious God, I turn to you today to seek your forgiveness. Teach me your ways and place them on my heart. Give me direction in life to teach those in my care your ways to give them direction and purpose as well. In your Son's name, Amen.

Hope Men's Ministry is a ministry in service to Hope Lutheran Church and School. Our purpose is to grow, unite, and share God's Word to all men through meaningful activities. These activities center on fellowship, service, conversation, prayer, study and devotion as we seek to become men of God as He created us to be.