I’m too tired; I’m too busy; something came up; I’ll get around to it; I’ll give if there’s anything left, after all—God knows my heart. If we keep using excuses like these whenever we’re confronted with the things of God, then perhaps we’re taking His love, mercy, grace, and faithfulness for granted. Let’s take a moment and think about how we would feel if God treated us so lackadaisically.
No one wants to be an afterthought—not even God!
If God treated us the same way some of us treat Him, it wouldn’t be too long before we would feel slighted, insulted, and offended—for starters. Think about the attitude we would have if the only time we would hear from Him is when He wanted something from us. What if we didn’t answer His prayers in the manner He wanted them answered; within the time He wanted them answered; would He turn on us? What if we took our time and wrote detailed instructions for Him to follow, and He wouldn’t even bother to read them? What if He denied us in front of His friends because He was ashamed of us?
What if He disregarded our best heartfelt sacrifice?
What affect would this halfhearted approach have on our faith? If God kept His Word like some of us keep our commitments to Him, faith would lack one of its main ingredients: substance.
If God weren’t so accessible, human nature might place more value on Him. Just a thought.
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12 NIV)
When I read that Scripture in Matthew, I substituted the word others for God. [Do unto God as you would have Him do unto you.] If we treat God the same way we want Him to treat us: We would make ourselves available to His beckon call; we would obey Him no matter the cost; and we would sit in His presence—just because of Who He is.
Suppose God treated you the same way you treat Him—
Are you okay with that?
© 2018
See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.