I came across this verse recently during my devotion, and it really caught my attention. "Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem." So you may take this at first glance and think, "Oh yeah I know, God is good wahoo." But there is a very important detail to remember about this time is Israel's history: Israel got themselves into this mess Israel was caught in a cycle, for like, years and years and years, of screwing up and ignoring God, getting captured, and then crying out to God for deliverance. When He came through and rescued them, all they did was ignore Him again, which would lead to them reentering captivity...You get the picture. God is so good that way. Even when we do things over and over again -- lie, cheat, judge, preach false interpretations of Scripture -- God still loves us and pursues us. He doesn't forget us when we're in the captivity of fear, others' gossip, or anxiety, even when those things are a direct result of us saying or doing something we shouldn't have. He is still ready to protect you and to be there for you if you'll let Him. Confessing you did something wrong, and then repenting of it (aka admitting that it was something wrong) is the first step, even if it isn't easy. He is pursuing you, He is fighting for you, and He wants a relationship with you. He won't shut you out and He won't kick you to the curb after you mess up. I would have been kicked the curb a long time ago.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorI am a September baby, which may be the root of my love for fall. I love dark chocolate, popcorn, and I do actually like brussel sprouts. I'm the kind of person that listens to a Christmas song in September. (But only one. I don't want to ruin the ~magic~). Archives
May 2019
Categories
All
|