28 July | EVERYONE
«‘Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,’ says the Lord God. ‘Therefore turn and live!’» Ezekiel 18: 31,32
‘Turning’ means reflecting, to come to the conclusion that you are following a wrong path, and changing directions. It is not enough to perceive the error; we must also to move in the right direction. In our spiritual life, the sinner perceives that their path is the path of death and immediately decides to turn toward life.
Sin is a heavy burden that torments those who practice it. It is not only the feeling of guilt that condemns them, it is also the sad consequences that it brings with it. And since God loves the sinner, He tells them through Ezekiel to be free from their transgressions. What is the correct way to shed the burden of sin? The psalmist David responds: “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved” (Ps. 55:22).
Ezekiel tells us today that God does not want anyone to die, but rather to convert. His invitation is for everyone. “And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17).
In a certain Brazilian city, a taxi driver found a child on the street who had been run over and abandoned. Moved with compassion, even at the risk of being considered guilty, the kind man picked up the child and sought the nearest emergency room. Unfortunately, the doctor was out, and the child died. When authorities searched for the victim’s parents, they discovered that the father was the doctor who had not been on duty. Finding out what happened, the father went crazy. Tragic news!
On the other hand, if one day you or I decide to be lost, that will not mean that God will not do everything possible to find us and save us.
Take Action
As you can see in today’s text, God does not want anyone to die (or be lost). Jesus came to save, not to condemn. Keep this in mind whenever, like so many other Christians, you feel tempted to put more emphasis on judging than on saving. Sing “Turn and Live!” (if possible, with your family).