Turning back to God

S-Ezekial 18
14 “But suppose that sinful son, in turn, has a son who sees his father’s wickedness and decides against that kind of life. 15 This son refuses to worship idols on the mountains and does not commit adultery. 16 He does not exploit the poor, but instead is fair to debtors and does not rob them. He gives food to the hungry and provides clothes for the needy. 17 He helps the poor does not lend money at interest, and obeys all my regulations and decrees. Such a person will not die because of his father’s sins; he will surely live. 18 But the father will die for his many sins—for being cruel, robbing people, and doing what was clearly wrong among his people.

19 “‘What?’ you ask. ‘Doesn’t the child pay for the parent’s sins?’ No! For if the child does what is just and right and keeps my decrees, that child will surely live. 20 The person who sins is the one who will die. The child will not be punished for the parent’s sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness. 21 But if wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey my decrees and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die. 22 All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done.

O- Ezekiel is speaking to the Israelites who have been exiled and are facing the consequences of their sin. But he is also speaking to the Next Generation who will be brought back from exile. He speaks of the child of the parent who sins. Do they pay the price? we know that answer , though we sometimes suspect that the children will pay the price, however even Jesus when he healed the blind man did not say he was blind from the parents sins but so that God may be glorified. So it is here also that the generation that follows the Exile will be blessed and provided for by God the Father. But the same warning is still there that the child who rejects the parents ways and follows God's ways will be blessed, but should they fall back into Old patterns and behaviors there still will be consequences for what they're doing.

A-.  The application for me is to understand that I do go through Seasons where I fall away from God and need to be corrected back. God's Grace has always received me in my seasons of of wandering as long as repentance and correction is my heart and mind. So the application for me is simply to know that in a season where I feel in God's will, following God's ways I must be mindful of the small slow fade away from his ways that occurs as life's busyness worries and fears can drive us from God's best in our lives.

P- dear heavenly father thank you Lord for today's scripture, thank you for the reminder Lord of your promises through prophets like Ezekiel through examples like the Exiles experience in Babylon. I pray Lord that you would help me to be a discerning person who understands when I am wandering away from your ways, and when my mind and I can't see it please Lord send the Holy Spirit to prompt my heart change my ways and bring me to repentance. I pray all this in Jesus Christ name amen.