Do you think God is enjoying your
suffering? Do you think the suffering from the sickness is His pleasure, or
that your lack of employment which renders you unable to fend for yourself is His
delight? Or you think God is happy that you are not yet married, or that you
are yet to have a child, though married? You think God is interested in your
lack of admission into higher institution, or is happy that your business
failed? You probably think your inability to build or complete your house is
‘God’s will’ for you, so His plan for you is suffering, suffering, suffering
all the way. Do you think God is a sadist?
If you do, then don’t be surprised
that things are that way too; for, “as a person thinks in their heart, so
things turn out to be” (Proverbs
23: 7, Author’s paraphrase). But please know that God is not a sadist. God
is not happy that things go the wrong way. Our God is the God of love.“And He (God) could bear Israel’s misery no longer” – Judges 10: 16.
In the Book of Judges chapter 10,
verses 6 to 16, we see God’s people, Israel going astray, and God, for the
umpteenth time, warning them. But naughty, rebellious Israel would not heed
their God. They continued to worship and serve the gods of the surrounding
nations, thus provoking their own God to anger and jealousy. Does that sound
familiar in our various ways today? Israel forsook Jehovah their God who
brought them out of Egypt and delivered them from many enemies. They chose
rather to worship Baal, Ashteroth and other foreign deities God warned them not
to worship. God became angry and delivered them over to the subjects of those
gods who dealt with Israel mercilessly. Israel cried out to the LORD for help,
but He directed them to go and seek help from the gods they have chosen to
serve. Knowing those gods could not save them, they continued to plead to God
for mercy. And He heard them. O, that somebody’s cry may come unto the LORD
today! The Bible says God could no longer stand and watch Israel’s suffering.
It touched Him at his heart. “He could bear Israel’s misery no longer” (Judges
10: 16).
It could be we played ourselves into the hands
of those oppressing us today. We fraternized with the devil. We joined the
cult. We wanted to make it big, so we joined. Today, demands are made on us
that have thrown us into regrets. Yet for others, suffering has come to them,
not from any misdeed of theirs, but purely as the trial of life, to test their
faith. May I announce to the suffering saint today that there is a way out. God
will make a way where there seems to be no way because your Father’s heart
aches at your pains. Yes, “in all their afflictions He was afflicted and the
angel of His presence saved them.”
God’s compassion is far greater
than our sins. He has a heart of pity for His children. Psalm 103 verse 14 says
God knows our frame; He remembers we are dust. This is saying God knows our
weaknesses. He knows how frail we are. That is why “He will not always accuse
nor harbor His anger forever. He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay
us according to our iniquities” (Psalm 103: 9 – 10). If God were to keep a
record of sins, who would survive? But with Him is forgiveness so we can
reverence Him (Psalm 130: 3 – 4).
God hates sin, and never condones it.
He must punish sin and purge it. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6: 23), and
the soul that sinneth, it shall die (Ezekiel 18: 4). Yet God says, “Have I any
pleasure at all that the wicked should die and not that they should turn from
their ways and live” (Ezekiel 18: 23)? While God’s holiness demands justice (in
punishing sin), His love demands compassion and mercy (in forgiving it). These
two opposing demands were all satisfactorily met in Christ. God’s holiness and
love met in the person of Christ. His justice and compassion met in Christ’s
death for our sins on the Cross of Calvary, for, there God punished the
believer’s sins to satisfy God’s justice, and there He forgave the believer’s
sins to demonstrate His compassion. God’s holiness that calls for justice
against sin has been satisfied in Christ. Sin was fully paid for when Christ
died on the Cross. The Lord said, “It is finished” (John 19: 30).
The full payment for your sins has
been made on the Cross of Calvary. You don’t have to pay a dime for it again. Justice
is never demanded twice on the same offence. You don’t have to suffer, for your
sins to be atoned for. Christ did that fully for you. Don’t carry the load
about any longer. Come to Christ today. Turn from a life of sin. Accept Christ.
Believe in Him as your Saviour and Lord. Follow Him as your Lord, and you, as a
disciple. Obey and serve Him as your Master. He knows what you are going
through. He feels your pains. He is concerned about how things are with you,
and before long, as He could no longer bear the misery of Israel which made Him
bring them relief, and in the process, routing the enemy, so God will rise on
your behalf, and give you an answer of peace.
Peace be with you!
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