How can God put up with my inconsistent prayer life, laxity in Bible study, lack of concern for the lost? How can He listen to my big promises to do better when time and again He has seen me fail? How can He? How can He? Why doesn’t He write me off as a bad debt? A failure?
Have you ever been there? Is that the way you are thinking right now?
It is at such times I run to the Word and He reminds me that as His child He still cares for me. He has promised to never leave me nor forsake me. I am the apple of His eye. My Father reminds me that He adorns each lily of the field. He notes a tiny sparrow’s falls. God is so concerned for me that He has the hairs of my head numbered. He will keep on caring for me until He calls me home when His whole scheme of things will be revealed. Hallelujah!
I’m reminded of God’s continued love for unfaithful Israel (Exodus 32:9-14). Because of His people’s unfaithfulness, God was going to destroy them. But He must be true to His promises with the patriarchs; therefore He relented of the punishment that He would have inflicted on His people.
We born-again-believers have a magnificently greater basis for forgiveness than the Old Testament saints. Yes, we are undeserving. We are inconsistent. We are undependable. God and His Word are low on our priority list. We grieve our Father God. It is then that Jesus is at the Father’s right hand pleading for us. God is grieved, disappointed, perhaps even angry with us to the point of casting us out, but Jesus is at the Father’s side interceding for us. He opens His garments and says, “Look Father, at this deep scar in my side. Blood and water flowed out of this wound for Norma (put your name here). Forgive her again.”
It is because of the incomparable price that was paid, that God reaches down, folds me in His arms of love, binds me to Himself, and forgives. Instead of casting me away, He begins another renewal program. He puts another building block on my pyramid of life. What form does that block take? Perhaps the form an experience -- just the kind He knows I need. If I take careful steps to get the most out of that correction, I learn and I grow.
Here is an example of what I am talking about. On January 8, 1991, while living in our motor home in Florida a severe thunderstorm hit. I remarked to my husband, “We are undoubtedly in the safest place one can be since we have six rubber tire to ground us.” Later that evening we noted that our electrical outlets were not working. I remarked to friends that I could see no reason for such inconvenience. A few days earlier I had spoken at a ladies’ meeting with two points. #1 - God is in control even in the minutest details. #2 - God has a learning purpose for every detail He brings to us. When we pass lightly over them or we ignore them we miss the purpose of God’s planned lesson. Think of it! I had put my confidence in the security of six rubber tires instead of God’s protection! Hard to imagine! God could have burned down the motor home and its valuable contents. Instead He extended merciful protection as well as mercifully and one more time giving me an experience that would set my mind on Christ. God is ever faithful!
(to be continued)
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