Offended at God

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
1        You are always righteous, Lord,

    when I bring a case before you.

Yet I would speak with you about your justice:

    Why does the way of the wicked prosper?

    Why do all the faithless live at ease?

2        You have planted them, and they have taken root;

    they grow and bear fruit.

You are always on their lips

    but far from their hearts.

3        Yet you know me, Lord;

    you see me and test my thoughts about you.

Drag them off like sheep to be butchered!

    Set them apart for the day of slaughter!

4        How long will the land lie parched

    and the grass in every field be withered?

Because those who live in it are wicked,

    the animals and birds have perished.

Moreover, the people are saying,

    “He will not see what happens to us.” (Jeremiah 12:1-4, NIV)

 

MUSINGS:
This is such an interesting passage in light of Alan Hawkin’s sermon last Sunday. Alan shared about John the Baptist’s offense at Jesus not being/doing what John expected. We can all relate to this, can’t we? When someone doesn’t act in the way we expect, especially if we are personally affected, we take offense, even if it is at God. And, as Alan pointed out, once we are offended at someone, we no longer receive from them. “They play a happy tune and we do not dance; they sing a dirge and we do not mourn.”

Without being fully aware of it, we can even become offended at God and find it difficult to receive from Him. When God does not respond as we pray He would or a situation turns sour while we expected God to intervene, we can close our spirit to God’s Spirit. Taking offense is a dangerous path, for you and your fellow travelers. Alan believes that it has been the cause for the squelching of revival throughout history. 

Jeremiah’s specific complaint is a twist on the old quandary of “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Rather, he asks, “Why do good things happen to bad people?” He is offended that wicked people are not getting the punishment he feels they deserve. Can’t we all relate to that as well? Wishing for a little justice to fall on someone we are offended with (at least justice as we see fit).

The answer Jeremiah receives is basically that God will settle all accounts in the end, and that He may even choose to be gracious where we would choose to punish.


APPLICATION:
We can all have times like Jeremiah and John the Baptist, where we are offended that God has not behaved as we expected. These are the times we must be honest with God, share our complaint, and let God move us back to a place of trust and peace. If you remain offended, your relationship with God will suffer just like it would if you remained offended at a friend. 


PRAYER:
Father, there are some things that happen in this world that I do not understand. And, I can sometimes be offended at what I don’t expect or agree with. Search my heart, show me if I harbor offense toward you. Increase my trust that you will set all things right one day. Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you have settled my account, that I have received abundant grace and forgiveness when justice demanded my death. Because of your loving sacrifice I pray, Amen.


WHO AM I?
My name is Greg Bland. I have thoroughly loved having my daughter, Hailey, home for a few weeks. She leaves today to return to Kona to prepare to lead the upcoming Discipleship Training School. Please pray that God’s Spirit will grace her steps and empower her for all that lies ahead. If you missed her sermon on April 14th, be sure to stop by the church to get a copy. (We’re not able to put it on the website.) I know I'm biased, but she did an incredible job!