Run and Tell That!

“For if you return to the LORD, your relatives and your children will be treated mercifully by their captors, and they will be able to return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and merciful. If you return to him, he will not continue to turn his face from you.” (2 Chronicles 30:9 NLT)

When King Hezekiah sent runners throughout the nation, urging the people to return to God and His ways, many ignored the runners and the admonition the letters contained. They laughed and made fun of them, but there were some who listened and obeyed. And God, turned the hearts of the tribe of Judah to one heart, in obedience, and blessed them for their obedience.

We may not have "literal runners" who are running through the land with a cry of "return to The Lord," but we do have many people who are using whatever access they have to people to encourage all to "return" to The Lord. Our fingers are running through keyboards typing messages of encouragement and repentance. Our satellites are transmitting messages of hope and encouragement via televisions, Internet, and still--radios. So, in a sense, we have runners who are still urging people to turn to God. And the message--is pretty much the same--if you return to The Lord and His Ways, your children will be treated mercifully..."

When I wrote my blog yesterday about "Cursed Children" I was remembering all those things that I was taught as a child: how to clean house, make a bed, respect elders, say grace over food, say prayers at night, work to do good in school, knowing right from wrong, never lie or steal, and most of all to remember there is God--who sees everything and knows everything we do and will reveal it to others. This is what I was taught and the lessons were deeply embedded, thoroughly entrenched in my mind and soul to the point that these are the same things I taught my children. I pray they will teach them to their children.

If the time comes--that I can no longer be a runner for The Lord--I want my grandchildren to pick up the baton and run on--urging all they meet to return to The Lord and be blessed.

Simply put--if we don't return to The Lord and His Ways (not our own), we will remain captive to the dictates of our flesh and soon see the results of that captivity that may even result in captivity by enemies of God. Nothing is out of the realm of possibility. If we refuse to acknowledge God, why should He acknowledge us when we are assailed from every side by those who hate Him and then--some of us--laugh and make fun of those who were runners--trying to tell us the truth?

I'm sure there are a number of people who are laughing and making fun of my blog-posts daily. I'm sure they share the laughter with those who are like-minded. But I am equally sure that there are some who will read and heed what is being said and encourage others to return to The Lord before it's too late.

If you must laugh at what I do--laugh--full belly-laughs with tears running down your face and your body shaking so hard you can barely stand. The more you laugh at what I say, the more The Lord will bless what I do--because it is all about Him, not me! He knows those who are His and He also knows those who are counterfeit believers--pretending to know Him, but really do not have a clue. If they did know Him, they would not promote hatred of others--for any reason.They will receive the reward for their actions and it will not be a place reserved for them in heaven, unless they "return to The Lord" completely and allow Him to govern their lives and especially their tongues and fingers.

Now, Run and Tell That!