When We Turn Back - Day 215 Month 8-2 Week 31-5
Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year)
2 Samuel 12:16-13:23, Proverbs 14:25-35, Ezekiel 18:23-32, Romans 11:1-27
When We Turn Back
“He who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker, but he who is gracious to the needy honors Him” (Proverbs 14:31).
I am guilty but I’m slowly changing!
Sylvia and I were camping a little while ago. We went to a campground about 500 KM away. When I am towing the trailer with my undersized truck, it uses a lot of fuel. We need to stop every 250 KM to get fuel. On our way home, I stretched the distance at one point where we took a short cut. There are few gas stations on this part of the route. When we got back to the main highway, I had little left in the tank so we needed the closest gas station. We filled up and then before we continued on our way, I looked up and noticed someone begging on the only way back onto the highway. I turned to Sylvia and said do we have anything we can give to that gentleman (Sylvia carries our cash ... I’d spend it)? We gave the man a few dollars and continued on our way.
Sylvia turned to me as we continued driving and said, “your reading and writing has changed you.” I said, "What do you mean?" Her response was, “Earlier in our marriage you would have been far more focused on getting home and would have felt very inconvenienced and frustrated if I had suggested we slow down to give something to someone who is begging.” She wasn’t going to mention it, even though she’d been thinking we should give the guy something. She did not want to trigger a reaction from me. That is a sad commentary on someone (Me) who’s been a Jesus follower for most of my life.
“The wicked is thrust down by his wrongdoing, but the righteous has a refuge when he dies” (Proverbs 14:32).
Who are the Wicked?
The experience with giving something to someone who is begging makes me recognize my own wickedness. I’m not someone who goes out trying to scam people or making up evil schemes or even committing awful crimes but when I don’t love my neighbour, or a beggar in this instance, I am treating people in a way contrary to Jesus teaching. I don't get to define myself as righteous simply because I haven't committed the kinds of evil that horrify me in other people. Every sin makes me guilty when I stand before a Holy God.
“”Do I have pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord God, “rather that he should turn from his ways and live”” (Ezekiel 18:23)?
It’s comforting to know that God does not find pleasure in the death of the wicked. His hope is that the wicked will turn to Him. David showed us in our reading today that even when he had done great evil such as sleeping with one of his soldiers wives, then having the soldier killed to cover up his sin, and the resulting child born from that dying; turning back to God, confessing his sin and worshiping Him is the only real response. You turn to God rather than running away. Why? Because God still loved David, and He still loves us despite our sin.
“And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.” (Romans 11:23)
How often will God forgive? The truth is God's arms are always ready to receive someone who turns back to Him. Sin can damage our fellowship with God, but it does not mean God stops loving us or stops calling us back to Him.
Paul's illustration of the Gentiles being grafted in and Israel being grafted back in is not directly talking about forgiveness. Paul is explaining God's continuing purposes for Israel and His willingness to restore those who turn back to Him. Many Jewish people did not accept Jesus as Messiah, and Paul wrestles with what that means for Israel's relationship with God. Yet God's love for Israel had not ended.
For those who put their faith in Jesus, we are justified before God through Him. When we step out of relationship with God through sin, we do not need to run away from Him. We can turn back to Him, confess our sin, and receive His forgiveness.
I know I quickly moved from thought to thought today, but my point is this: no matter how great the sin or how evil the action, God loves each and every one of us. He does not want anyone to face eternal death.
If we are willing to turn to Him, His door is always open to us.
Have a great day!
Steve
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