Focal Passages: Obadiah 1-4, 10-15, 17-18, 21
Every person has an ultimate authority source in his or her life. An authority source is someone or something whereby we yield our thoughts and actions and allow it to influence our decision making. It might be a parent, teacher or boss. It may be someone in history or it may be you.
Hopefully, if we are wise and humble, our ultimate authority source will be God and His Word. Such was not the case for the Edomites, Israel’s perennial enemy. For years, the Edomites lived a life of pride and arrogance that fueled an attitude of self-confidence and indifference toward those who have been victimized. They had become their own authority, and it led them to a life of wickedness.
We can see this same attitude creeping into our own nation.
God has blessed America, but we have taken it for granted. We have become great in our own eyes and believe we are invaluable to God’s providential plan. It is also apparent that other nations do not see us in the same light as they did in the past.
About 10 years ago, I had the privilege to travel to the Middle East for 21 days.
We visited six different countries and explored dozens of ancient sites. I assumed because I was an American that people would want to speak with me and inquire about life in the United States. I soon realized that much of the Middle East did not see America as a great country.
Certainly, a large part of their attitude toward America came from Islamic influence, but, many saw America as an arrogant nation that had lost its Christian influence.
How do you see America? Are we becoming more prideful and less dependent on God? Patriotism is good and right, but has our attitude as a nation become an affront to God?
If so, how do we respond as Christians?
One thing is for certain. If we do not repent and humble ourselves as a nation we can expect the same outcome as Edom – a future that I do not care to experience.