The Daily Word: Sunday, November 7th, 2021
Ezekiel 16:42-17:24
Hebrews 8:1-13
Psalm 106:13-31
Proverbs 27:7-9
For full text click here.
Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
Look, 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. – Ezek. 16:49-50
You’ve heard of Sodom and Gomorrah. You probably know they were wicked cities which God destroyed because of their sin (Gen. 19). By the time we get a glimpse of Sodom in Scripture, the city is past the point of no return. “The men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord” (Gen. 13:13). But how did they get that way? How did things get so bad?
The people in Sodom were too comfortable. They had pride: they thought too highly of themselves. They had “fullness of food:” everything they needed and more to keep their bellies full and their souls happy. They had “abundance of idleness:” their needs were so well met that they didn’t even need to work hard any more! And worst of all, they did not “strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.” They were so consumed with self, and so comfortable because they had lived without lack for so long, that they completely neglected their responsibility to help other people.
Here is the lesson for us. Pride creeps in when you get too comfortable. Destruction starts when you stop taking your eyes off yourself and putting them on the needs of others! Ask God where He wants you to step out of your comfort zone. Is it helping people who don’t have food? Is it sharing the Gospel with people who don’t have Jesus? Is it taking a moment to lend an ear to someone who needs to talk?
Stay humble. Stay reliant on God! And He will keep you close to His heart, all of your days.
Prayer:
Father, I confess that I love comfort too much. It’s an idol. I like having everything I need! But today I invite Your Holy Spirit to move me out of my comfort zone. Put me in a place where I’m thinking about other people instead of myself. Keep me humble and reliant on You, every day of my life, in Jesus’ name!
© Michael D. White, 2021. All rights reserved.