Just Between You, Me, and God: 10-21-12

*We apologize that this was not published last week, when it was originally written, as we focuesed on posts about bullying.*

When I was in college all of the business courses I took would talk about how computers were going to revolutionize the work place, change the pace of things. There would be no need for mounds of paper work to do because it would all be done on the computer, no paper. In fact, they said that because of computers, in the future we would spend fewer hours at work and have more leisure time than we would know what to do with. I’ve got news for you guys, I’m in that future now and it doesn’t look like that. Microwaves were going to shorten our time in the kitchen but we get frustrated waiting two minutes or less while our food warms up (around the outside, it’s still cold in the middle). We are an unsatisfiable, complaining bunch of ungrateful consumers. Imagine just how long God has been putting up with us. He delivered Israel from Egypt by parting the Red Sea and then drowning those who would bring them back to slavery. He didn’t just send them on their way; He traveled with them day and night. He fed them, they complained, He made it where their clothes and shoes wouldn’t wear out, they complained, He brought them to the door of the promised land, showed them what He would give them, assured them of victory, and they complained. So, He let them walk around the desert for 40 years until the complainers were gone. When He sent His own Son to free them from sin, they complained and killed Him. When He rose from the grave and His followers picked up where He left off spreading the Good News of salvation, they complained and attacked and killed many of them. We are consumers of God’s mercy, grace, and loving forgiveness. And yet we are turning our backs on Him and His precepts like we were standing in the return line after Christmas saying, “That’s not what I wanted! The instructions are too hard to follow! It doesn’t fit my lifestyle, my wants, my needs!” Romans 2:5-8 warns us, “But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God “will give to each person according to what he has done.” To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.” We would do good to start saying “America, bless God” as well as “God bless America.” Pastor Dean

Pastor Dean Hanssen is the Ministries & Outreach Pastor for LHF.