In Sunday school we were always taught that "God is a God of love." We picture Him in our mind as an old man holding out His arms for a hug. It's true that God is the architect behind all true love (among mankind & between us and Him), but there is another side to Him. In Genesis chapter 19 we are told that God completely obliterated Sodom and Gomorrah because of their "iniquities(wickedness)" (Gen19:15). In The Gospels we see that Jesus {God incarnate} "overthrew the tables of the moneychangers" in His temple (Mark11:15). Still, though, we've heard these stories countless times...
but one day I decided to start reading Isaiah. I was astonished when I read God's words say "My soul hates (Is1:14 NIV)." I actually had to go back and read that a couple of times to make sure I read that correctly. God hates! It's such a scary thought that He could hate us enough to turn the earth back to nothing with just a single word (think of The Creation going backwards!). Isaiah goes on to say of many things that "provoke the Holy One of Israel unto anger (Is1:4)," and if we refuse "we shall be devoured with the sword (Is1:20)." It even says God will "hide His eyes from you (Is1:15)" ... and what things could make God hate? Isaiah makes it crystal clear. A corrupt nation. All this makes me wonder about the state of our country and the path it has chosen over the decades. We have even tried to take God out of schools and government... like we can actually lock our doors to Him! "How is the faithful city become an harlot (Is1:20)!!!"
Dear God,
I'm sorry we put You on the back burner and piled dirty dishes around You over the years. We eventually made ourselves believe that You had become just like them and blindly threw you out with the trash.
How can I change this?
