Losing Our Moral Imparitive (Jud 19:23-25).

Judges 19: This is one chapter in the Bible I would just as soon God left out. A man, for the sake of "social protocol", willingly offers his virgin daughter to a group of "gang bangers." Then, another man (both men Israelites) actually hands his concubine wife over to the same ruthless thugs. They rape and kill her. 

This is Israel's moral equivalent of "Sodom and Gomorrah." No one in this story shows any sign of moral conviction. 

When a nation turns from God, as Israel has here, and lives for its own selfish pleasure, it loses its moral imperative. The end result is a TRAGIC BREAKDOWN in society. America is following the same course. 

Lord, help me stand for what is right. I don't just want to be a "moralist" DOING the "right" things, I want to stand on God's Word and BE the right kind of person. Prepare me to explain moral imperatives to a post-Christian generation that does not know God. 

I pray for sweeping revival in the church and spiritual awakening in my beloved nation.

O To Praise Our God

Prayer adapted from 1 Chronicles 29:10-15:

O Lord, God of our ancestor Israel, God of our forefathers, may you be praised forever and ever! Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We are a people of your blessing.

O that my beloved country would adore you as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor have come from you alone to this nation. You alone rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength. What we have we owe to you.

O our God, bring the heart of my beloved nation back to thank you and praise your glorious name! We have nothing of our own to offer you. Who are we that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from your hand, and we can give only what you first gave us!

We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace. Let us not further squander our opportunity to give you glory, honor and praise.