January 18, 2024

Psalm 139:17-24  (HCSB)
17 God, how difficult  Your thoughts are for me to comprehend; how vast their sum is! 18 If I counted them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; when I wake up,  I am still with You. 19 God, if only You would kill the wicked— you bloodthirsty men, stay away from me — 20 who invoke You deceitfully. Your enemies swear by You falsely. 21 Lord, don’t I hate those who hate You, and detest those who rebel against You? 22 I hate them with extreme hatred; I consider them my enemies. 23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. 24 See if there is any offensive  way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.

Pastor HD Jones
God says, “my thoughts are not your thoughts and My ways are not your ways”.  In our limited knowledge we don’t understand why good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people.  I have been in those rooms at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital and thought “this is not right” and I have been at the funeral home and thought “this is so unfair” and I have wept with women that can’t conceive while others toss their babies into dumpsters. David couldn’t grasp why God was not annihilating the enemy.  He had the power, the authority, and the right.  But what David couldn’t judge correctly was God. Even when life seems unfair we have to know God is just.  If we were really honest with ourselves… it is not fair that any of us get to go to Heaven.  We sinned and Jesus the innocent died! I don’t know about you but I’m glad God is not always fair.  I’m thankful that He is long-suffering; that He left the 99 to find me; and that even though I deserve His wrath it will never ever come to me.  Maybe that is why Jesus talked so much about forgiveness?  When we finally grasp it then we will be happy when God extends that to another person that doesn’t deserve such love.