I’m praying, God come
And turn this thing around
God, turn it around
God, turn it around
God, turn it around

I’m calling on the name
That changes everything, yes
God, turn it around
God, turn it around
God, turn it around

We sing the song, “God Turn It Around”, by songwriters: Anthony Skinner, Jess Cates, Jon Reddick, asking God to turn our lives around.  The song is personal.  It’s about God and what He does in and through us.  But do we praise Him for turning our thinking around that drives our behaviors?  Yes, I like to think beyond the song to what we really and truthfully know when we sing.  Yes, it’s a great song with great lyrics and a wonderful catchy tune.  But come closer friends to read the words, catch the message of not only what God does for us but realize Who God is.  There is no one like our God.

According to Ezekiel, God also turns life around for the arrogant and proud, too.  He turns the tables on their behavior of grudge-holding, sneering, mocking, and kicking a defeated people who have nothing left.

Are we sometimes like the people of Edom who kick you when you’re down? Do we sing our songs of praise to God, emotionally tell God thank you for saving us, but then hold the secret to His salvation to ourselves?  Do we kick someone who is already down and at their wits end with pious Christian phrases like, “if only you were like me.”  Or we might offer comfort with, “come to church, you’ll feel better.” 

AND do we hold grudges against people so deep that we cheer when they fall?   Surely not.  Yes, God turns it around, but maybe not in the way we expected Him to do it.  God will be known for who He is and what He can do so mankind will realize, without doubt, that He is God.

Ezekiel 36, The Message

A Pile of Rubble

^1-4 God’s Message came to me: “Son of man, confront Mount Seir. Prophesy against it! Tell them, ‘God, the Master, says:

“‘I’m coming down hard on you, Mount Seir.
    I’m stepping in and turning you to a pile of rubble.
I’ll reduce your towns to piles of rocks.
    There’ll be nothing left of you.
    Then you’ll realize that I am God.

^5-9 “‘I’m doing this because you’ve kept this age-old grudge going against Israel: You viciously attacked them when they were already down, looking their final punishment in the face. Therefore, as sure as I am the living God, I’m lining you up for a real bloodbath. Since you loved blood so much, you’ll be chased by rivers of blood. I’ll reduce Mount Seir to a heap of rubble. No one will either come or go from that place! I’ll blanket your mountains with corpses. Massacred bodies will cover your hills and fill up your valleys and ditches. I’ll reduce you to ruins and all your towns will be ghost towns—population zero. Then you’ll realize that I am God.

^10-13 “‘Because you said, “These two nations, these two countries, are mine. I’m taking over” (even though God is right there watching, right there listening), I’ll turn your hate-bloated anger and rage right back on you. You’ll know I mean business when I bring judgment on you. You’ll realize then that I, God, have overheard all the vile abuse you’ve poured out against the mountains of Israel, saying, “They’re roadkill and we’re going to eat them up.” You’ve strutted around, talking so big, insolently pitting yourselves against me. And I’ve heard it all.

^14-15 “‘This is the verdict of God, the Master: With the whole earth applauding, I’ll demolish you. Since you danced in the streets, thinking it was so wonderful when Israel’s inheritance was demolished, I’ll give you the same treatment: demolition. Mount Seir demolished—yes, every square inch of Edom. Then they’ll realize that I am God!’”

He is up to something
He is up to something
God is doing something right now
He is up to something
He is up to something
God is doing something right now…

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

DID YOU KNOW—

Mount Seir is another name for Edom, the nation founded by Esau, Jacob’s twin brother. “Edom” means “red” and was a nickname given to Esau (Genesis 25:30). The Lord reminded the Edomites of their great sin against their brothers when they assisted the Babylonians in attacking the Jews during the siege of Jerusalem. The Edomites carried on a perpetual hatred against Israel, so the land of Edom would receive a perpetual desolation. Edom would be no more.  Yes, God turned it around.

He is moving mountains
Making a way for someone
God is doing something right now, right now
He is moving mountains
Making a way for someone (yeah)
God is doing something right now, right now…

The Edomites weren’t blaspheming people; they were blaspheming God and boasting in their pride as though they would escape judgment. In their arrogance, Edom had rejoiced over the fall of Israel; but one day, the whole earth would rejoice over the fall of Edom.  Yes, God turned it around, crumbling their arrogant pride to a pile of humbled rubble.

Nations of evil are defeated when God turns things around.  God moves evil out the path of believers devoted to Him.  He did it then, He’ll do it again—and again!

God ultimately turned the world upside down when He sent Jesus, His One and Only Son, to save humanity from all sin and taught them how to live for him believing and knowing, without doubt, that HE is God.  Finally.  Once and for all, sin is defeated.  So, believe and be saved.  Return no more to the scene of the crime of sin.  Move forward, leave grudge holding, hate, sarcasm, meanness, behind as God turns it around for each one of us.  Tell His story for His glory so others will know that He is God, the One and Only who saves us from ourselves and our own sin.  Jesus changes everything and every person.

All of my hope
Is in the name
The name of Jesus
Said, breakthrough will come in the name
Come in the name
The name of Jesus

God, turn it around
Turn it around
Oh, oh
God, turn it around
Turn it around
Turn it around…

Lord,

Turn me around.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen