DaySpring Daily Word of Inspiration: Mark 8:36 – What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?
Yesterday we began a journey into seeing how unfair God is to us. Our first stop began with the man himself. In God’s awesome unfairness to us, we seem to reap a lot of benefits if we’re focused on truly how much we don’t really deserve his unfairness. Firstly we see that there isn’t anything in all of creation that can separate us from how much he loves us. That’s a good thing, right? Now let us be clear, just because God loves us and nothing can change that, this DOESN’T suggest that we are exempt from punishment, discipline, or even correction. Let’s look at that from an earthly father or parent standpoint: If you love your child, there’s not much you wouldn’t do for them however when they are disobedient, it is only right that you get them back in line; for every wrong thing they do (whether intentional or on accident) there is a potential consequence that can and (in most cases) will be applied. In fact, people today would think there is something wrong with you if you didn’t discipline your child! In the same way, God’s love for us isn’t compromised because he has to discipline us from time to time to help us get back on track with HIS program.
The other thing that we saw in God’s unfairness towards us was the production of the greatest and most revered gift of all time; the gift a salvation. As messed up and as disobedient to his word we are and continue to be, he still made sure that a channel was available for you and I to come back into a real relationship with him through his Son Jesus. Man that’s so not fair……but for who? This leads us to our devotional today.
As the scripture would point out today, we have a problem with the recognition of the Creator and his unfairness to us. We look to worship, chase after and attain everything that God has ALLOWED man to create more than we worship, chase after or obtain everything that God has himself created…..for US! You may say how does this apply? I’m so glad you ask!!! As yesterday’s stop helped us understand, nothing can separate us from God’s love and it took him as far as allowing his Son to shed his blood on a cross for our sins. Today that would say rather than trying to use our lives to gain the things of this world (man-made), we should be striving to gain that which God has made and made available (salvation) for us all to share in! God is so unfair that he would give us a) the option on what we should look to attain and b) still make reconciliation available for those who would believe in his Son. So which do you think would matter more as an action of gratitude toward God’s love – serving stuff (things we could get) or serving him (for his mercy)?
But is it worth it? Are the things of this earth more valuable than the loving sacrifice of God; his unfair attitude to our sin (meaning he hasn’t treated us as our sins actually deserve)? You can gain everything in this world that we know can’t go with us when we die and give up the unfair gesture that God has given to your soul through the blood of Jesus Christ. But we think God is unfair based on the choice we make; better yet, on the choice he has allowed us to make. In God’s unfairness, he gives us the freedom to NOT choose him…smh!
Have you been feeling disciplined lately? Is God not who you’re chasing after? A good Father would discipline and show his child the way they should go so that their life could be filled with more peace and joy versus heartache, pain, and anxiety. Well, that’s the same thing our Father God does when we’re focused on the things of this world and he knows that the best thing for our soul is a relationship with him through his Son Jesus Christ. God in his unfairness has made salvation of your soul available – even though we’ve done enough to separate ourselves from him. Do you really want to give up what the Creator has made to have the things of the created? What good would it be if you didn’t take advantage of God’s unfairness? We pray today that we don’t let our souls get punished because we’re more concerned about having things in this lifetime and trample over God’s great unfairness to us now! In Jesus’ name, AMEN!