Originally posted: May 2022
So often, we take God for granted. We walk around as if we have our own lives in our hands. Failing to realize that without God we are nothing. I am absolutely guilty of this. There have been multiple times that I have failed to realize just who God truly is. God has been my Protector, Healer, Deliverer, Provider, my Father and my Friend. He has loved me more than I have loved myself. He has loved me when I didn’t love myself. He thought the world of me even when I felt unworthy. He deemed me good enough even when I didn’t think so. He has chosen me when no one else would. He has loved me in-spite of my shortcomings and has loved me unconditionally.
Not only have I witnessed the things that He has done for me but for my family as well. While we acknowledge Him in those moments and give Him praise, we failed to fully surrender ourselves to Him. I often apologize and repent for the many times that I have failed Him. I tell Him that if I could turn back the hands of time I would. I would definitely do things differently. I hate that it took me so long to realize who He truly is. Ya’ll may think that I am joking but I literally go to God about everything.
Looking back at human beings as a whole, since the beginning of time. Honey we are something else, ok? There are plenty of instances in the Bible where people took God for granted. We can look at when God freed the Hebrews out of Egypt. We can see all the things that happened when Pharaoh refused to let them go. Through it all God protected them. God parted the Red Sea so that they could cross over. Even on the other side they were not satisfied. They started worshipping other gods, some wanted to go back to Egypt. God literally fed them from Heaven and they still complained. We treat God as if the things that He does for us are still not good enough.
Looking at Israel as a whole in the Old Testament. They would do well for awhile before turning back. Because God loved them He always gave them room to turn back to Him. One of the things that I love is that He would say, “If you come back to Me, you will be my people and I will be your God.” I used to watch Grey’s Anatomy back in the day. I don’t know if ya’ll remember that scene where Meredith said to Derek, “Pick me, Choose me, Love me.” That’s all God wants from us. By picking Him, choosing Him, loving Him. We will automatically want to obey Him and not attempt to get out of His will. Although we may make mistakes, we have the ability to acknowledge them and repent.
When Israel messed up, God would send the Prophets to warn them. They wanted to do what they wanted to do. Even murdering the Prophets that spoke the truth and praising those that spoke falsely. (Sounds familiar) Then when trouble came, they cried unto the Lord to deliver them. It never failed.
If we're being honest, how many times have we told God that if He delivered us, we wouldn't do it again? So let's talk about me. This was years ago I think that I was 19. We were at this club and they started shooting. Naturally, everyone started running. In my mind I told God that if He delivered me, I would never go back. Now mind you I didn't go back to that club but I didn't stop clubbing. Or maybe God delivered you out of a relationship with this man and said that you weren't going back. You end up going back and now you're hurt again, asking God to deliver you once again. Could have saved that heartache the second time when God had freed you the first time.
We can actually learn a lot if we go back and look at the children of Israel. There are a lot of similarities. It's quite parallel, even though times have changed. They would worship other gods and do things that God had not called them to do. We may not worship other gods per say. We still put people and things before Him, we idolize celebrities. We have to watch our favorite show/movie before we can read or pray. We have to attend sporting events before we attend church. Everything comes before Him, He is not even a priority. Basically we have place God on the back burner. The only time we acknowledge Him is when we want something.
The children of Israel had become so stubborn that when God sent the warnings of repentance they wouldn’t accept it. In today’s society it is the same way. People get mad when you speak the truth. They often times call it judging. Then trouble came and they’d repent and offer sacrifices. They did it so much that God got tired of it. He told them that their sacrifices and burnt offerings no longer meant anything to Him.
Jesus came as the ultimate sacrifice but then here we go again, taking God for granted. You say that you are no longer under the law but you are under grace. The scripture that they love to use is Roman 6:1 but they stop there.
Roman 6:1-18
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”
We can’t do what we want to do and then think that God is ok with it.
Hebrews 10:26-31
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
People want you to believe that you can continue to sin and still make it into Heaven. That is a lie from the pit of hell, be not deceived. In verses 28-29, if they died without mercy under the law of Moses, how much worse is it for you who say you've been sanctified by the sacrifice of the Son of God? You continue in sin because you are under grace but you have counted His blood as an unholy thing.
I ask this question often but do we really think that we will not have to answer for these things if we do not repent? Verses 30-31 tell us differently. For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
1 Peter 4:17-18
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
We are all guilty of taking God for granted in some way shape or form. Yet He is steadily calling us unto repentance. God has an order and holiness is still right. Holiness is a lifestyle, everything will not happen overnight. We should strive to be perfected in every area of our life through the Holy Spirit.
God will teach you and keep you if you want to be kept. At the end of the day we all have a choice to make. We can choose to do right and we can choose to do wrong. Just know that when we stand before God there will be no excuse. On this day you have heard the Word of the Lord. Hardened not your heart, repent of your sins. Pray to the Lord for guidance. Put all of your trust in the Lord and He will direct your paths. Choose this day who you will serve.
Remember that God loves you and so do i with the love of Christ.