Heart-broken over Sin

 How can we know if we are really close to the Lord? I think there are several ways to discern that relationship and how well we are doing. However, we might not think about one aspect that is very important. It is a sure fire way to know that we are really right with the Lord. Ezekiel told us about this in his visions about the city of Jerusalem. (Ezekiel 9:4) The Prophet saw a man with a writing case, and he heard the Lord tell him to go through the city of Jerusalem. He was to make a mark on the forehead of every person who sighed and groaned over all the abominations being committed in the city. God spared those people, and he had the rest killed, because they were so out of fellowship with Him. I wonder which of us would get marked if God did the same thing today?

We know that we are right with God when the same things that break God's heart break our hearts, too. The adulterous hearts of the people hurt God, as we saw yesterday. Whatever hurts God will hurt us, if we have a heart that is close to Him. Therefore, we need to take note of ourselves. What happens when we see abominations on the Internet and on TV? Are we attracted to see them more, or are we heart-broken, so that we sigh and groan. I believe the closer we get to God the more we will stay away form anything that hurts God, because it will bring us down, too. Let's be aware of this truth and see how it applies to our lives. If we are not sighing and groaning over sin, let's take time to confess that sin and ask the Holy Spirit to create in us a clean heart that grieves over sin like God.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Ezekiel 10-12.