We need a good bath!

Titus 3 (The Message)

 ^1-2Remind the people to respect the government and be law-abiding, always ready to lend a helping hand. No insults, no fights. God's people should be bighearted and courteous.

Oh boy! This is not fair. In the good ole' US of A we have lost complete touch with this.  Our society is all about division, insults and fights.  I am not sure we could run a political campaign without trashing the opposition.  We don't have any concept of compromise or give and take. I am not sure we even know what being bighearted and courteous is. Do we respect our government?  How many of US do everything we can to beat the system.  We believe in getting a helping hand and not giving a helping hand. Our politicians and leaders care more about image than truth, honesty, openness, respect, service, and courtesy. 

I think I'm preaching!

The key is trying to find out how we change the system. How can little ol' me have such an impact that people will begin to change? Well, I don't have a great answer. As far as I am concerned, it seems hopeless. But if we read the next few verses in Titus, we get an idea how it's going to change:

^3-8It wasn't so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back. But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God's gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there's more life to come—an eternity of life! You can count on this.

We need a good bath! We need to get as many people we know to change from being stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, hated and hating back.  The only true answer, the only way to change this society from it's present path is Jesus Christ. We need to be washed in the spirit. We need to be restored and changed from within! We need the new life that only he can provide. We need to restore relationships and we need to get our lives back from our sinfullness. Only God can do that.  We can't. We don't have the strength or the power or the will to change.  We need the help only he can provide!

Lord, we know that our country needs you.  We need revival, restoration, and cleansing, that only you can provide. We don't want to be hated or to hate. We can't change on our own. Bless us with your spirit and with your power. Give us the strength to change and to bear witness to your saving grace. Lord save us! Amen!