When Sin Gets Personal

In the aftermath of 9/11, many religious leaders (including Anne Graham Lotz) made statements about America suffering punishment for their many sins, that included things like taking prayer out of schools, acceptance of homosexuality, etc. That, in fact, is NOT good theology, because if a country's sin were the cause of God's punishment, then countries like Sudan would have been blasted off the face of the earth, or even Brazil with all their carnality and idolatry would have bombed as well. That doesn't mean I don't believe that 9/11 was NOT the result of sin, or even the consequence of sin, but I don't believe that God killed those 2000 people to send a telegram to Americans to put prayer in public schools! Nor do I believe we can make an analogy between Biblical Israel and America. Israel was the nation-elect, the people God chose. America is anything but that.
What is so ironic to me is that so far I haven't heard a single preacher talking about America's punishment with this recent financial crisis that is being faced. Haven't heard too much on personal moral failure lately. Have heard some on how to cope with the financial crisis. I think I know why. It's about personal sin, not about some collective failure or sin we can blame on the legislature or the "heathens" or other groups, so we don't feel to comfortable pointing the finger at anyone when it points at us too.
Today, as I read in the book of Isaiah, it was like the the words popped out at me - this is what is happening right now. Isaiah 5:8-9 says: "Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land. The LORD Almighty has declared in my hearing: "Surely the great houses will become desolate, the fine mansions left without occupants." Seems like unmitigated greed is not a good thing.
Hum... now how might that apply to America's current crisis? Now let's see? Why in the world does any human being need the kind of space that many American families posses? Why in the world is it necessary to acquire the kind of debt that many American's have? Could it be GREED? Could wanting more than you can afford possibly be a sin? Could it be saying that most Americans don't believe God isn't all sufficient and they need something more? Nah... couldn't be that. It's just the great American dream - I can have it all. Or is it?
Maybe there is a price to be paid for spending what we don't have. Maybe the financial crisis all of America faces is the result of personal sin. Maybe we religious leaders have failed when we have not called our people to task for a sin so often condemned in God's word. Maybe I too am guilty of this same sin when I casually say "put in on my VISA", when I don't need "it", but I WANT it.
Oops, getting too personal there.
I have watched and sometimes worried and sometimes been very sad at seeing the debacle that is happening in the US banks. What I have not done is pray to be more holy. I have not prayed for repentance for my nation and for an uprising of Christian leaders who say that this ridiculously luxurious lifestyle MUST stop. Nor have I been willing to say that I and many others are suffering for the sin of greed and its horrible consequences and taking many innocents in its wake. The sin is personal. The results are global.
And that's my sermon for the week.