God Is Not Out to Get Us!

"God is not a deceiver, that He should offer to support us, and then, when we lean upon Him, should slip away from us."   - Augustine

It's really a shame how there are many who think of God in terms of being a spoilsport, or killjoy. That is, they view Him as someone who deliberately spoils our enjoyment of life through his resentful or overly sober behavior towards us.

They see God as an over zealous officer of the law who is always looking to catch them in the act and punish them for their offenses. Hopefully, this doesn't describe you! And, although it might appear to some that God is out to hinder, or slow us down a bit, this simply is not true.

God's rationale goes far deeper than that. He does what he does because of our sin. You see, God hates sin but loves sinners, which just so happens to be us. His hatred towards it is great because of its destructive nature. In other words, He is against sin because of what it does to us (Psalm 40:2).

Look at it this way. Peace-loving people are against war, for example, because war is horrible and evil. Doctors are affirmed enemies of disease and other maladies that affect our health and well-being. Similarly, God would not be God if he were not against all that is wicked and bad in the world.

When God forbids something, he does it with our best interest at heart. When He requires us to do something, it's always for our own good, and that of others. Everything God does for us and to us, is done with His best intentions. Whether we see that or not is our problem, not His.

None of us could possibly know what God has in mind for us (Proverbs 20:24). Only a hopeless egotist would be so conceited as to say that he had already eliminated all evil from his life, and had arrived at the highest moral excellence. That, however, is not how God works in our lives.

There will be times when God compliments us, and times when he reprimands us. But no matter which one it is, it is all done compassionately. He is always with us, guiding in the way we should go (Isaiah 30:21). He has promised to be with us in all of our ways, providing strength, direction, and love.

Scripture: Psalm 32:8; Psalm 119:105; Proverbs 16:9; Psalm 25:9-10; Isaiah 40:28

Prayer: Dear Lord, Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation, amen.

God bless you!

Amanda