Moses said to God, “Look, you tell me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you don’t let me know whom you’re going to send with me. You tell me, ‘I know you well and you are special to me.’ Exodus 33:12

How often we have heard someone remark about ‘the good old days’ It is just as important to remember  ‘the bad old days’ It is an indictment on our society that kids today can no longer breathe free air and be left outside to play in streets, parks, and gardens. The elderly can no longer feel confident to walk alone in the evening. Teenagers have swollen the ranks of homelessness by the thousands. Criminals rub shoulders with us and we don’t know it. We pay the bill for shoplifting. Pollution is a problem. Violence has increased dramatically in our day and generation.

We could continue: where do we fit in? Our abuses have not done anything to alleviate community or improve society. Our drinking and drugging was an escape from the corruption around us; from a world heading for disaster. We can shrug our shoulders and ask “Am I my neighbour’s keeper?”

Whenever people in the Bible tried to run away from their responsibility God called them by name. He knew where they were, what they were doing and what they were planning. He knew their reluctance to face up and fess up. And He has us named; we are each called sinner because we chose godlessness falling short of what He requires of us. We despise the word ‘sinner’ We have a habit of making excuses for bad behaviours and choices. We don’t want to accept ‘the truth hurts’

As God points the finger at us it is not just for us to face up to the fact we are sinners. It is also to encourage us to understand He understands. He says “Come to Me!” Better days await those of us who will obey His call and allow His Lordship and Leadership to shape how we move forward from here.