PRAYING FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, CHURCH AND NATION:
Never abuse the power of your influence over others (Hab 2:15-17).
MORNING WATCH NOTES:
The prophet continues his song of taunts; a woeful dirge, v.4. A graphic allegorical lyric depicts Babylon as the host of a drunken, debauched party [drunken debauchery being a Babylonian characteristic]. Her nation neighbors were forced to drink, in a drunken orgy of false promises. Then, as in the parable of “The King With No Clothes,” they were stripped naked of resources, laughed at, mocked and made the fool.*
God says, “Soon it will be your turn, O Babylon, to be disgraced. For the Lord will force you to drink full from his cup of judgment. Your glory will be turned to abject nakedness and shame. You have built towns with wood stripped from the beautiful forests and those towns are filled your murder and terror. Soon it will be you, O Babylon, who is stripped, terrorized and cut down. Your end will come in violent destruction (Pro 24:17,18). The abuse of power and privilege is unconscionable. ”The Lord is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him” (2:20).
Lord, may I never abuse my position of influence to torment those within my circle of reach.
_________
* How simple-minded it is to be made to look a fool as the butt of another’s heinous joke. But how much more deranged to be the tormentor of such a fool?
The Prayer Sentry 