LENT 2020: Day 27

• Lent 2020: Day 27 Friday, March 27, 2020:
  Psalm 130; Ezekiel 33:10-16; Revelation 11:15-19

     By my life, said the master, the LORD:
          I do not desire the death of the wicked
              but the turning back of the wicked from his way,
              that he may live.
          Turn back, turn back from your evil ways,
              for why should you die,
              O house of Israel?

When the prophets start talking like this, we get a little nervous, a little queasy even. 

We don’t think in terms of sin and punishment. 

And rightly so.

Far too many people have been harmed and abused, physically and emotionally and psychologically.

And so by no means should we claim that the coronavirus was sent by God to punish us for our sins. We must resist the temptation to do that. Resist even the temptation to flip the script, smugly blaming those who usually do the blaming.

But we would do well to think in terms of the impact our actions, as well as our inaction, have.

Simply put, our actions have consequences. We should always aim to do the right thing for the right reason, but even the best intentions don't guarantee good outcomes.

Lent is the time to examine our lives. 

Examine what you do.

     Examine why you do it.

          And examine the impact of what you do.

Then, go and do better.