In Wrath Remember Mercy

This is Dan again.
         When does a nation deserve the wrath of God?  Certainly, the scriptures are clear that you can reach a point of corporate sin that tips the scales so that you nations sin is "complete" (Genesis 15:12 speaks of the Amorites in this way).  But what sins bring that judgement?  It would be wrong to presume to understand all of God's ways or to suggest that there is a formula for how God' handles every situation.  However, it is worth paying attention to what happened to Israel so as to learn lessons from that nation.

         When did Israel earn judgment for their sin?  When they turned justice into their own selfish gain, denying the poor and the weak of the justice they deserved.  When they took advantage of the helpless, when they looked to everyone and everything except God for help.  When the nation Judah (the southern part of Israel) had lived like this for a long time, Habakkuk the prophet cried out to God about the injustice that he saw and asked how long God would allow this to continue.  God promised to deal with Judah's sin and rebellion, but Habakkuk struggled with God's method.  In the end, Habakkuk accepted that God would judge the people, and do so as He saw fit, but Habakkuk needed to trust God regardless.  His final chapter opens with these words. "Lord, I've heard the report about You and I fear.  O Lord revive Your work in the midst of the years, In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy."  It is those last four words that I have stood out to me.

         America is due judgment.  We kill the most helpless (yes, I speak of abortion) and justify it because of the life and rights of the mother (who may already be a victim of a kind, and now by killing her child we do double wrong to her).  Our political leaders turn justice upside down and slander and destroy innocent people.  We take from one group wrongly, simply to redistribute power.  We enjoy all the things we like, on the backs of slave labor in other parts of the world.  We live immorally and then become outraged at anyone who dares to disagree with our lifestyle and choices.  Yes, we are filling up the measure of our sin.  And so I find myself praying as Habakkuk did.  "LORD, I've heard the report about You and I fear. In wrath, remember mercy.  You are God.  We are sinful.  We need Your mercy.  We deserve Your wrath.  In wrath remember mercy.  You did for Israel then.  I pray that you will for us now as well.
         In my last post I spoke of the urgent need for an earnest commitment to prayer.  This time I add this to my prayers.  Lord, remember mercy.  We depend on your mercy.