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Morning Devotions
I was reading Our Daily Bread this morning as a part of my morning devotions. The writer was highlighting the ancient city of Sodom whose people suffered God’s judgement, in part because they embraced a self-indulgent lifestyle. “This was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit” Ezekiel 16:49-50. Basically they were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned.
If we are honest with ourselves, we can see many similarities with today’s western lifestyle.
Most people are proud of their cars, houses and other things. (Pride)
Most people don’t have to struggle and toil to put food on the table. (Overfed)
Most people, while not at a paid job, don’t generally do anything to overtaxing. (Idleness)
Most people don’t think of the severe injustice and lack of choice and freedom that the poorest of poor people all over the world and in our country have to face every day. (not strengthening the poor/needy)This makes me think that perhaps God isn’t too happy with the way we choose to spend our time. Perhaps he has a better way that would profit us as well as Him. In Philippians 2:4 Paul tells us to serve others and desire to please God, this is the antidote to the poison of self-indulgence.
At the bottom of each page in Our Daily Bread is a verse and a summary line. Here are today’s.
Some are discouraged and weary in heart,
Help somebody today!
Someone the journey to heaven should start,
Help somebody today! –BreckThe more we serve Christ, the less we serve self.