Text: Ezekiel 22:1-31
“In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take interest and profit and make gain of your neighbors by extortion; but me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD” (verse 12, ESV). I seriously doubt that there has ever been a government that did not have to deal with corruption in one way or another. When this becomes the normal routine among God’s special people, He is grieved and offended. Yet, He never stops loving or caring for His people; therefore, out of that deep love and commitment, he will pursue us with a holy love…and a holy fire. God will not be patient forever with our corruption; it is completely against His nature to do so.
This Chapter speaks of God’s plan and purpose to remove corruption from us, like that fire that removes impurities from precious metals: “As one gathers silver and bronze and iron and lead and tin into a furnace, to blow the fire on it in order to melt it, so I will gather you in my anger and in my wrath, and I will put you in and melt you” (v.20). When the fire has done its work, what will be the end result? God says to his people, “I will consume your uncleanness out of you” (v.15). As frustrating and embarrassingly corrupt as you may be, please know that your Heavenly Father will not allow you to remain in that manner of life. He will do something radical in order to remove it from you. Pray that you will be sensitive to His leading, and be a brave voice for truth and just action in your community.
Meditate on verse 12. What is God telling you in this verse? How are you going to respond to it?
Our Lord and Almighty Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we pray that You cleanse us of the evil of bribery, corruption and the shedding of innocent blood in this land. Enable Your children, under the banner of Christ, overcome every temptation. Amen.