August 9, 2019

Rerun from Daily Devotional November 11, 2016

One of the funniest Bible studies I have ever taught happens every Thursday morning. That’s because I never know what they are going to come up with.

Yesterday as we were talking about how God may react when we make arrogant self-serving decisions instead of caring about others, Norman said, “There are times when God cusses me out!”

I know Norman well enough to know there probably are times when God cusses him out. But isn’t it the same for all of us?

Have you ever considered the fact that when we refuse to care for others, when we choose to be selfish, when we could care less what God thinks, that God might not just be hurt but actually angry.

I am sure that just like a loving parent gets angry at a child from time to time, God gets mad at his children when they go in the wrong direction. Remember the forty years the Israelites wandered in the desert or the time Jesus got angry with the disciples for not curing the little boy with epilepsy? If it happened back then, what makes us think it doesn’t happen now?

The good news is that even though there are many times we are in Norman’s category; God is a wonderfully forgiving gracious God who only wants the very best for our lives. What he wants is for us to live in love.

The Jesus Prayer is one of the shortest prayers you can find in the Bible but it is also one of the most powerful. It simply echoes the words of the tax collector who knows how far he has fallen. He says, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Luke 18:13)

So make the right decisions. Care for others. Be mindful of your words and actions. And live the life that God has planned for you. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Prayer: Dear Gracious Heavenly God, help me to put aside my arrogance and ego for a life filled with love, gratitude, and service. Guide my steps, words, and thoughts. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

I cannot wait to see what Norman comes up with next week. He never fails to help me think of God in a different way.

I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.

Tom Robbins