"Instead of a Sweet Smell There will Be a Stench"

from Isaiah3:24.

once, many years ago (i can't believe i can say that!) when i was in the U.S.A.F. (blah, blah, blah), i was walking into work behind a co worker. she was about 30 feet ahead of me and her perfume filled the air. it was a wonderful perfume...even tho it was all around me, it wasn't overwhelming. very, very pleasant. i remember closing my eyes and taking in a big whiff...ready to be transported to a field with grass and flowers and clouds and peace and love and all that other good stuff.

however, because my eyes were closed, i didn't see her light up a cigarette...and as i breathed, i didn't take in the wonderful scent i was expecting, but the awful stench of burning nicotine (and other polutants)!

i gagged!
i choked!
i almost threw up!

it is true, i thought (and think) cigarettes are pretty gross...but i could always handle them...but the problem was, it was not what i was expecting.

instead of a sweet smell there wil be a stench...
God speaks thru isaiah and warns israel of what is to come.

Trouble.

war...famine...oppression...hurt...hate...emptiness.

why?

because God cares deeply about how His people live. and israel wasn't living rightly.

they compromised their convictions...
they disobeyed His commandments...
they exploited the poor & the needy...
they were alligned with the enemy...

and God allowed calamity to come to bring them back to Him.

how do we live?

God cares deeply.