Do We Love God or Reject Him?
Do We Love God or Reject Him?
Do our thoughts, words and actions demonstrate our deep love for God on a regular basis, our are we more like the Israelites spoken of in Psalm 78 who kept rejecting God, even in the midst of His great love and mercy toward them? It’s a hard question to answer honestly because we all have blind spots that, at any moment, could trip us up when we least expect it. And this isn’t about legalism – a ‘do this, don’t do that’ kind of thinking. It’s more about submitting to His authority over our lives, rather than going our own way.
The Israelites showed gratitude to God whenever He provided for them or protected them from harm in tangible ways. However, when the world and the flesh distracted them, they forgot about His goodness and went their own way. Perhaps it’s easy to think fondly of God when we sense His favor upon us or when we feel that He has protected us from harm, but how about when we forget Him and take things into our own hands?
Is God neutral when we turn away from Him and go our own way, or does He have an opinion about that? Matthew 12:30 in the New Living Translation states, “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.” Whoa, those are sobering words! Notice it doesn’t refer to ‘works’ as much as it refers to attitude of the heart. Being with God is different from doing works for God. Both may please Him in some way, but the warning of the previous verse is a reminder that we need to fix our eyes, our minds and our hearts on Him to lead us and guide us, or He may perceive us as actually rejecting Him. Perhaps seeking Him in prayer can renew our focus of loving Him more and rejecting Him less.
Let us Walk in His Way.
Dear Heavenly Father, we want to show You that we love You and wish to do Your will, but it is challenging with the many distractions, temptations and other things that turn our heads and hearts away from You. Lord, help us fix our eyes on You, to trust and love You more each day, so that our lives will reflect the light of Jesus to those around us. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.
by Corinne “Kinney” deHamel
author of “Walk in His Way” for
Carry the Light Ministries
