God’s love saves – ALWAYS
Judges 10:14, “Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen ; let them deliver you in the time of your distress.”…16 So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD ; and He could bear the misery of Israel no longer.
The nation of Israel is so hard-headed it’s not even funny! The Lord rescued them from certain annihilation time and time and again, but as soon as they felt safe they started lusting after worldly things.
That’s why the Ten Commandments ends with, “Thou shalt not covet.” I don’t believe God just threw it on their at the end as an afterthought, but I believe it’s place in the order symbolizes it’s importance. Let me explain, I love football, and I used to play on the offensive line. When you are running a play to the outside that’s where you want most of your strength. You put your best blockers on the end so they can clear the way for the running backs.
Similarly God put His final command on the end to clear the path for us. When we covet or lust after what belongs to others it interfere’s with our relationship to Him. When the Israelites saw the worldly possessions of those around them they began to desire what they had; like any parent God got frustrated with His children. Yes, I believe God get’s frustrated with us from time to time. Jesus proved this when He cleansed the temple, and said “Take these things away ; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.”(John 2:16) That doesn’t mean His love for us ever decreases; from time to time parents get frustrated with their children, but the love for them never goes away. In His frustration God told them to call on the foreign gods they were serving, and see if they could help.
But, in the end God did not abandon His children; after they had sought out the help of every thing they could they cried to Him, and because of His love He saved them.
When I read these words I am reminded of what the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome. Romans 1:18, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 24Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions ; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural , 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. 28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil ; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice ; they are gossips, 30slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful ; 32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.”
If we continually disobey God, He will throw His hands in the air out of frustration, but if we sincerely come back to Him He will receive us. Paul also wrote to the Roman church. Romans 7:14, “For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand ; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. 17So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh ; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. 24Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death ? 25Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord ! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.”
God sent His Son into the world to save us, and when we turn back to God He will save us from the destruction and death we deserve.
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Father God, I thank You for saving me from my sin, and for always being there to rescue from the dangers I fall into when I turn away from You. In Jesus’ name, Amen
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The image above can be found at:http://lacedwithgrace.com/devotion/passion-faded/
Yes, You Can Ministry 