Oftentimes, we know the real source of our troubles (lying, cheating, violence, fornication, dirty character, jealousy, idolatry, etc…), but ignore it to focus on external reasons… Today’s passage says: “Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words, for I see violence and strife in the city. Day and night they prowl about on its walls; malice and abuse are within it. Destructive forces are at work in the city; threats and lies never leave its streets.”
My brother, my sister, the city here represents a place that is supposed to be holy but was now plagued by internal problems such as violence, conflicts, wickedness, threats and cheatings of all kinds. You see, the Bible often shows us that external enemies, through a constant threat, were not nearly as dangerous as the corruption inside. What does it mean today for us, the Church of Christ? Simply that, before looking for external reasons for our problems, we should learn to check ourselves first. It is much easier to accuse the world than to look at what we ourselves are doing: so many churches of today often look to defend themselves against troubles from the sinful world while closing their eyes to their own sins that are causing their troubles.
This truth applies to us individually too because the Bible says: “we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10), which implies that we should try to keep ourselves away from the things that could defile our flesh by doing what is pleasing and in the will of God. Stay blessed in Jesus’ name.