The Ash of Judgment

Matthew 24:22  And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

For the past week, the Turrialba Volcano has been spewing ash and gases.  This has caused the evacuation of residents and livestock.   The streets and homes are now covered in ash, as is the livestock.  The farmers have been pulling up their crop to save what they can.  The winds have blown the ash to other cities as well.

In Scripture, ash is a symbol of mourning, Samuel 13:19  Then Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her robe of many colors that was on her, and laid her hand on her head and went away crying bitterly.

While in church, our pastor had the following message to share with us:   “The Lords coming is sooner that we think.   Time is going fast”.

The Lord had been waking him up at 2:00 and 3:00 a.m.   each time with the same message, that He is coming soon, and each time he would direct him to look up ashes in scripture. 

He continued with his message:  “Has  Costa Rica lost something   so valuable that we are in mourning?   What is lost, or what are we loosing, what has been removed from us that the country finds itself in mourning?”

We were also reminded that it was one year ago that Costa Rica had a devastating earthquake in “Cinchona”, and the area has not recovered.  Lives , homes,  and jobs were lost last January.

We read in Jeremiah that God used ash to warn of the coming judgment

Jeremiah 6:26  O daughter of my people, Dress in sackcloth and roll about in ashes! Make mourning as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; For the plunderer will suddenly come upon us.

So what are we to do?   What is the answer for us here?  The answer is found in scripture:

2 Chronicles 7:14  if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Costa Rica, like many other nations has lost its’ Biblical worldview. It is no longer what is right in the eyes of God, but what is right in the eyes of man, politician, environmentalist and so on and so forth. 

But we are His people, a chosen generation, and when we pray and humble ourselves for the sins of our nation, He will hear us. 

Costa Rica is not alone in this.  Many nations are in rebellion against His Word, His warnings and His will.

Let this year be a year where we pray for the nation in which we live in, and for other nations as well.   It is then we will see the salvation of our Lord and His blessings fall upon the land.

May you be richly blessed this day.