3/16/2014

17 They acted like fools in their rebellious ways, and suffered because of their sins...

19 They cried out to the Lord in their distress; he delivered them from their troubles.

20 He sent them an assuring word and healed them; he rescued them from the pits where they were trapped.

21 Let them give thanks to the Lord  for his loyal love, and for the amazing things he has done for people!

 Psalm 107:17, 19-21 (NET)

 

   Have you noticed that acting like a fool requires no special training? Even if you have escaped the embarrassment of some foolish act, none of us are unsoiled by sin, the pinnacle of foolhardiness. The suffering, mental anguish, and heartache caused by sin is a painful reminder of the consequences of foolish choices. Choosing the way of sin is ALWAYS a bad idea.

 

   Do not forget that all of the pain in the world is the byproduct of sin. But the long trail of shattered lives, broken hearts, and shredded families represent only a small fraction of the damage done by sin. The worst thing about sin is that it separates people from God. People without God live in utter darkness, trapped in a cage of misery—the out growth of willful rebellion against our loving God. And people without God have absolutely no hope (Eph. 2:12) apart from divine love and mercy (compassion).

 

   Thankfully, Jehovah is a God of loyal love. The usual translation of this word is goodness. But the term goodness does not seem to capture the depth of this divine attribute. God’s goodness is unfathomable. Even the term loyal love leaves us groping for a clearer picture. Our own experiences with the common variety of human love often clouds our mind’s eye and hampers our ability to wrap our mind around this immeasurable divine trait. That is why we must be diligent in delving into the Bible. We can only learn about Him and truly come to know Him in the fullest sense of the term by studying and meditating upon His word. Do you have a good grasp of the height, depth, and breadth of the love of our Good and Great God (Psalm 107:1)?

 

   A good way to measure one’s understanding of the enormity of His love is by the frequency and sincerity of our expressions of gratitude to Him. Are your words of thanksgiving for His loyal love deeply embedded in a heart pricked by a sense of your desperate need for His mercy (Acts 2:37)? Or is your “Thank you, Lord” little more than a mindless repetition of a cliché? If you have not thought about the difference, be assured the Lord recognizes the unlikeness.

 

   Remember, shallow religion only delights the devil. If we are comfortable with superficiality, Satan is ecstatic. But we can ruin his day by remembering that there is not one iota of insincerity in God’s love. He has withheld nothing. His amazing gift, Jesus (Jn. 3:16), to all humanity proves it. We prove our thankfulness for His great gift by continuing to obey Him (John 14:21). Are you always obeying Him? Are you truly thankful for His loyal love? Show Him (1 Jn. 5:1-2). We will be looking for you at our evening service—He is looking too.   KD