When our kids aren’t sleeping or eating appropriately, we look at what’s going on in the moment to try and find a reason. The problem, however, most likely stems from something further back than we tend to look. Maybe they were exposed to a germ last week that has been working against their little systems. Perhaps they haven’t been sleeping soundly or they’re trying to master a new skill. We may have even changed their daily rhythm in ways that seem insignificant to us but feel major to them. Their crankiness or misbehavior is simply a signpost pointing to exhaustion or pent up frustration.
For all of our years, we’re not so different. Think with me. Your spouse is later than usual coming home from work several days in a row. Your attitude toward him can shift from welcome and gratitude to frustration, even mistrust, very quickly. My husband will attest to the fact that I’m a banker. I have literally worked in banking, but I’m referring to my deep emotional well that fills gradually over time and erupts like a volcano, usually when I am tired or angry, or worse, both. I’ve learned over time to allow the Holy Spirit to diffuse the anger through prayer and tears, but in those moments, I do the same thing any young parent would do. I look to the immediately preceding events for a cause. It’s never there. It’s always long before and usually so gradual that I don’t recognize the real culprit.
We’re living in the aftermath of decades, perhaps centuries, of lapsing morality, the elevation of personal freedoms to godhood, intellectual laziness, and accepted circular logic, and we’re scratching our heads wondering how it’s come to this. If there is no Truth, then it’s impossible to miss the mark. But the Word of God is clear. We are fallen creatures living in a fallen world, one that cries out for renewal and restoration.
“Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse.
But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.
For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.”
Romans 8:20-22 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.8.20-22.NLT
When we embrace by faith the substitutionary death and resurrection of Jesus for the sin of mankind, we also accept the Truth of Scripture in its entirety. We all sin. Here, too, God’s Word is clear.
“As it is written and forever remains written, “There is none righteous [none that meets God’s standard], not even one. [Ps 14:3] “There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God. [Ps 14:2]
…since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God, and are being justified [declared free of the guilt of sin, made acceptable to God, and granted eternal life] as a gift by His [precious, undeserved] grace, through the redemption [the payment for our sin] which is [provided] in Christ Jesus, whom God displayed publicly [before the eyes of the world] as a [life-giving] sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation (propitiation) by His blood [to be received] through faith.
This was to demonstrate His righteousness [which demands punishment for sin], because in His forbearance [His deliberate restraint] He passed over the sins previously committed [before Jesus’ crucifixion].
It was to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the One who justifies those who have faith in Jesus [and rely confidently on Him as Savior].”
Romans 3:10-11, 23-26 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/rom.3.10-25.AMP
My younger son shared with me that over past month, he has been listening to the Bible read aloud. (YouVersion) He regularly wears earbuds on his job to protect against the noise of mowers, weed eaters, and blowers and rather than listening to music, he chose to listen to the Bible. In a little over three weeks, he listened to all sixty-six books, over 31,000 verses! By his testimony, consuming God’s Word daily has had a profound impact on his attitude at work and home, and he is not the only one to notice the change. He shared how stories he’d heard all his life became personal for him in new ways as he relied on God’s Spirit to reveal Truth to him. He is allowing God to inform his choices, redeem his habits, and guard his heart and mind in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7) He is only one man, but his choice to take God’s Word seriously is changing the world one step of faith and obedience at a time until Jesus comes.
“But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things.
And He will help you remember everything that I have told you. [Matt 5:7, 13, 24, 25; Luke 24:49; John 14:16; Acts 1:4]
Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.
Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid.
[Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.]”
John 14:26-27 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/jhn.14.27.AMP
We should not be surprised by the state of the world. All things are spiraling toward a sure and certain end, a day when Christ will come again just like He said, only this time in judgment. He will not be fooled by our hypocrisy. God knows our secret thoughts and He sees every heart.
“The Master said: “These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their hearts aren’t in it.
Because they act like they’re worshiping me but don’t mean it, I’m going to step in and shock them awake, astonish them, stand them on their ears.
The wise ones who had it all figured out will be exposed as fools.
The smart people who thought they knew everything will turn out to know nothing.
Doom to you! You pretend to have the inside track. You shut God out and work behind the scenes, Plotting the future as if you knew everything, acting mysterious, never showing your hand.
You have everything backward!
You treat the potter as a lump of clay.
Does a book say to its author, “He didn’t write a word of me”?
Does a meal say to the woman who cooked it, “She had nothing to do with this”?”
Isaiah 29:13-16 MSG
https://bible.com/bible/97/isa.29.13-16.MSG
““When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day.
In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat.
People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away.
That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.
So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.”
Matthew 24:37-39, 42 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.24.37-42.NLT
“So, go now and write all this down.
Put it in a book So that the record will be there to instruct the coming generations, Because this is a rebel generation, a people who lie, A people unwilling to listen to anything God tells them.
They tell their spiritual leaders, “Don’t bother us with irrelevancies.”
They tell their preachers, “Don’t waste our time on impracticalities. Tell us what makes us feel better. Don’t bore us with obsolete religion. That stuff means nothing to us. Quit hounding us with The Holy of Israel.”
Therefore, The Holy of Israel says this: “Because you scorn this Message, Preferring to live by injustice and shape your lives on lies, This perverse way of life will be like a towering, badly built wall That slowly, slowly tilts and shifts, and then one day, without warning, collapses— Smashed to bits like a piece of pottery, smashed beyond recognition or repair, Useless, a pile of debris to be swept up and thrown in the trash.”
God, the Master, The Holy of Israel, has this solemn counsel: “Your salvation requires you to turn back to me and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves.
Your strength will come from settling down in complete dependence on me— The very thing you’ve been unwilling to do.
You’ve said, ‘No way! We’ll rush off on horseback!’
You’ll rush off, all right! Just not far enough!
You’ve said, ‘We’ll ride off on fast horses!’ Do you think your pursuers ride old nags?
Think again: A thousand of you will scatter before one attacker. Before a mere five you’ll all run off.
There’ll be nothing left of you— a flagpole on a hill with no flag, a signpost on a roadside with the sign torn off.”
But God’s not finished.
He’s waiting around to be gracious to you.
He’s gathering strength to show mercy to you.
God takes the time to do everything right—everything.
Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.”
Isaiah 30:8-18 MSG
https://bible.com/bible/97/isa.30.8-18.MSG
There will be nowhere left to turn on that great and terrible day of the Lord. Judgement is final, as Jesus demonstrated so eloquently in His parable of the rich man and Lazarus. (Luke 16:19-31)
“And besides, there is a great chasm separating us.
No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’”
Luke 16:26 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/luk.16.26.NLT
My only true regrets in this life are not knowing and obeying God’s word more than I have. Ultimately, nothing matters more. No earthly degree, honor, or achievement will follow me into glory. My only consolation is in Christ.
“For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us!
For [even the whole] creation [all nature] waits eagerly for the children of God to be revealed.”
Romans 8:18-19 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/rom.8.18-19.AMP
“So if you know of an opportunity to do the right thing today, yet you refrain from doing it, you’re guilty of sin.”
James 4:13-17 TPT
A Fitting Reply 