relationships (Isaiah 15:1-9) Appropriate Compassion

(Isaiah 15:1-9)  

1   The pronouncement concerning Moab:
     Certainly in a night Ar of Moab is devastated and ruined;
     Certainly in a night Kir of Moab is devastated and ruined.
2   The people have gone up to the temple and to Dibon, to the high places to weep.
     Moab wails over Nebo and Medeba;
     Everyone’s head is bald and every beard is cut off.
3   In their streets they have put on sackcloth;
     On their housetops and in their public squares
     Everyone is wailing, overcome with weeping.
4   Heshbon and Elealeh also cry out,
     Their voice is heard all the way to Jahaz;
     Therefore the armed men of Moab cry aloud;
     His soul trembles within him.
5   My heart cries out for Moab;
     His fugitives are as far as Zoar and Eglath-shelishiyah,
     For they go up the ascent of Luhith weeping;
     Indeed, on the road to Horonaim they raise a cry of distress over their collapse.
6   For the waters of Nimrim are desolate.
     Indeed, the grass is withered, the new growth has died,
     There is no greenery.
7   Therefore the abundance which they have acquired and stored up,
     They carry it off over the brook of Arabim.
8   For the cry of distress has gone around the territory of Moab,
     Its wailing goes as far as Eglaim and its howling to Beer-elim.
9   For the waters of Dimon are full of blood;
     I will certainly bring added woes upon Dimon,
     A lion upon the fugitives of Moab and the remnant of the land.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

We know God desires that all come to know Him personally.  And even though, at the appointed time/s, He will punish unbelievers for their sins, it's not like He wants to do this.  Because He is holy, just and fair and the righteous Judge, we can count on Him to fairly deliver justice and righteousness.  This is a job that we should leave to the Lord.  Our purpose in life is to live out God's love, through our personal relationship with the Lord, and share the gospel message.

As believers, our hearts should hate what God hates, weep over what God weeps over, love what God loves, and desire what God desires.  The balance is in how we show love, sympathy and compassion.  We are to hate sin, while we are to love everyone, no matter what.  This does not mean that we accept the sins that others are committing and say that this is okay.  Breaking laws and committing crimes are wrong and consequences need to be delivered justly by the proper authorities.  

We can share love and compassion to the criminals when they are in prison, serving out their sentences.  But more so, we are told to help and show compassion to victims, the needy and the vulnerable.  It is the Lord who determines what is right or wrong, moral or immoral.  This is also a job that we should leave to the Lord.  Our purpose in life is to live out God's love, through our personal relationship with the Lord, and share the gospel message.

We must also remember that we, ourselves, still struggle with sin, and so, if and when we are to point out someone else's sin, we should first humbly confess our own sins, and then consider how to counsel others in God's love and guidance.  If someone is not a believer, we should not expect them to be living as a believer.  One doesn't have to try to be "good" first before approaching God!  The Lord wants everyone to humbly go to Him as they are, then He forgives and changes people from the inside out.  This is also the Lord's job, and we need to leave this job to Him!  Our purpose in life is to live out God's love, through our personal relationship with the Lord, and share the gospel message.