Aug 31st

1 Samuel 24     Ezekiel 3     1 Corinthians 5     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Beware blind spots

We all have blind spots in our lives where we are either not aware of the actions and behaviours that are sinful or we are aware and we have chosen a path that dishonours God in our actions, words and thinking.  Today we are shown how God exposes the sins of an individual, a church and a nation and ways that He uses people and instances to confront and return them to the right relationship with Him.

After being pursued by Saul, David has a chance to take revenge as Saul steps into the cave where David and his men are hiding.  David's conscience is touched - in the way that the Spirit convicts us today - after he cuts a piece from Saul's robe and he is made aware of how he has shown disrespect to God's anointed leader.  He confronts the issue by first apologising to Saul and then inviting reconciliation and for God to be the judge. Saul weeps and responds with love and acknowledgement of David's right response.

Paul also confronts - he confronts the people of the church of Corinth who have allowed sexual immorality to be acceptable and challenges the people to deal with it as left unchallenged it will lead to other sinful behaviours in the community illustrating it with how yeast spreads in the process of bread making. 

Then Ezekiel is called to confront the sins of the nation of Israel, a spiritually dead nation who are in exile.  His can do this with confidence as he has been prepared by digesting the Word of God, which tastes like honey to him, and he knows that as a watchman he will be given the words to speak.  He can confront but the nation may not listen.

When we see behaviours that do not reflect Christ’s love and character are we 'who live by the Spirit' prepared to 'restore that person gently' (Gal 6:1) by speaking into theirs or the community life?

(member of the PCC)