A Familiar Place...

This Sunday as we prepare our hearts for worship and for communion our text brings us to a familiar place. We find the Prophet, Nahum, proclaiming pending judgment against the city of Nineveh. We encountered Nineveh previously when we studied Jonah. At that point, facing a similar punishment, the city was given an opportunity to repent. One hundred fifty years or so later God through Nahum offers Nineveh no such opportunity. The Assyrians had their chances to walk in obedience and exhausted all of them. Now the moment has arrived in which they would answer for the atrocities committed throughout the generations.  Nahum assures the children of God that "the Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will never leave the guilty unpunished." (Nahum 1:3a)

This message of Nahum for the people of God is one of consolation and encouragement that God has heard their cry and will judge those who have harmed his children without reservation. This message for those who do evil, however, is one of warning. A warning that we cannot rely on what mercy was shown to those who have gone before us. The faith of our fathers, the faith of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers, is their faith to share for our education and encouragement but is not nor can it ever be our saving faith. That saving faith is found in none other - no amount of prayer, no amount of sacrifice, no amount of another's love or faith can grant someone salvation. The only faith that can save you is yours.  The Lord may be merciful and slow to anger, but the day of judgment does finally come. Will you be ready?

The question we must ask ourselves is this - are we trusting in what your parents or ancestors might have done to escape the judgment of God or are you trusting in what Christ has done for you? Putting your faith in him alone?

See ya Sunday!