Do you ever wish that God wasn't patient? Do you ever wish he would deliver swift justice like he did in the days of Moses? Jonah certainly wasn't happy about God's patience. Like Jonah, sometimes God's patience can be really inconvenient for us.
Instead of thanking God for his patience and the opportunities they afford, too often we miss those opportunities because we are busy doing God's job of judging "sinners". Sadly, our faith, which is a gift from God, can make us vulnerable to arrogance- especially if we were given faith as a small child and that is all we have ever known. The only difference between us and those people we are judging is that we have been loved enough that someone shared Jesus with us; those people you are judging need the same amount of love. God is patiently waiting for you to love them. He doesn't want anyone to perish.
Thankfully, God is patient. I know that I try that patience everyday. If I am honest with myself, I see that I am no better than the atheist, the prostitute, or the drug dealer. I sin everyday and rebel against God's commands for my own selfish reasons. Thankfully, God is patient...and merciful. He loves me. He loves you. He loves all of those "sinners" that we judge everyday and withhold his saving Word from.
Today, let's remember that "God so loved the world...". And accordingly, let's tell the world, "Jesus died for them. Their sins are forgiven." Amen.
Instead of thanking God for his patience and the opportunities they afford, too often we miss those opportunities because we are busy doing God's job of judging "sinners". Sadly, our faith, which is a gift from God, can make us vulnerable to arrogance- especially if we were given faith as a small child and that is all we have ever known. The only difference between us and those people we are judging is that we have been loved enough that someone shared Jesus with us; those people you are judging need the same amount of love. God is patiently waiting for you to love them. He doesn't want anyone to perish.
Thankfully, God is patient. I know that I try that patience everyday. If I am honest with myself, I see that I am no better than the atheist, the prostitute, or the drug dealer. I sin everyday and rebel against God's commands for my own selfish reasons. Thankfully, God is patient...and merciful. He loves me. He loves you. He loves all of those "sinners" that we judge everyday and withhold his saving Word from.
Today, let's remember that "God so loved the world...". And accordingly, let's tell the world, "Jesus died for them. Their sins are forgiven." Amen.
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