Shake the Dust

“Your blood be on your own heads!”

Nehemiah 5:13
I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said “Amen” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

Matthew 10:14
And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

Acts 18:6
And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.

Ezekiel 33:6
“So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.

We are given multiple examples of warning – shaking out the dust from your garment showing you wash your hands of it.  You have done all you can and now it is left upon that person or group.  I wonder if we do not take living in a time of God’s grace and mercy serious.  Do we so caught up in busyness of life that we lose sight of what is expected of us in our daily walk with Him.  Do we set our expectations well below what it means to be living for and following Him?  Stop and ask yourself what would you expect to see from a life that was committed to living for and following Him.  Would you see more humbleness, joy, giving, serving, hope, love, praise, study, worship, peace…….. It does not take long to come up with a list of what we would expect in a very short time.  Choosing to serve and follow Him requires a desire to know Him and seeking what His purpose is for your day and life.  Come to Him with a desire to serve and be used by Him.