Devotionals #105547


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Devotional #54

Posted by Cat on 2009-12-20 19:38:52, Sunday

Do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your unrepentant heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revealation of the righteous judgement of God. “Who will render to each one according to his deeds”* eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honour and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness - indignation and wrath. Romans 2:4-8 (*Psalm 62:12)

Every person suffers. As BLs we suffer in particular ways that most don’t. On the other hand, if we are reading this site chances are we are amongst the richest people on the planet in all human history (unlike most everyone in the world, do we ever lack for clothing, food, water, a roof over our heads?)
It’s so easy to take God for granted.
It’s particularly easy to take His patience for granted.
People who complain about God often make a point of the suffering that goes on in the world.
How can God allow this! Where is God! Why doesn’t He DO something!
The reality is that God is doing something. He’s being very patient.
He waits.
Sure He could come down in judgement on all the evils in the world... but... that would mean coming down on ALL of them. Every last one. Not just the evils and injustices that we felt were the worst but on every unholy sin of man. And if He did that? Who would be left? Not one.
And so He waits. Patiently and with forbearance and with longsuffering. And while He waits He extends out his fatherly hand to those enemies of His and says, “Here, I have given my Son as the ransom for your crimes, come and eat at my table and be my child”.
Can we even comprehend such goodness?
His wrath is coming. It’s just a matter of time.
His judgement will fall. The day. That great day. The day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God.
No one will be arguing with God on that day.
No one will be complaining.
No one will be counting the things they have suffered.
On that day, only one thing will matter. Where have you been laying up your treasures?
Have you been patient like God, enduring hardship, loving others, being obedient? Or will you be amongst those hardhearted complainers, who daily curse or ignore God, despise His offer of salvation and mock His call for repentance?

Prayer
Father, it is beyond us this love of Your’s. That while we were Your enemies, You gave Your Son for our crimes. That while we continue to take that lightly or ignore it... You remain patient and gracious. Help us to live in a place of humble, repentant, obedient gratitude. Help us to lay up our treasure in Heaven, help us to invite others in to share the blessing of fellowship at Your table. And here, at cblf, help us to lend a helping hand to our brothers in our particular struggle, to encourage them in the faith and to strengthen them for the road ahead.
COME LORD JESUS!
Amen!

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