Thoughts for another day

December 11, 2008.

Today's verse: Rev. 3:19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

God loves us tremendously. Therefore, many of us expect only good things. First of all, good health, so we can move about and do our own things without being dependent on others. Then, to able to eat whatever we want. Then again, sound minds, because of which we can work and earn our bread and buy good things, etc. And so on…

But have you known that God’s love can also extend in us having troubles? Yes, God’s love does allow trials to come our way when we need to be fine-tuned to His tune so we can be in harmony. If you ask me personally, I was led to God because of a stomach ailment which I still have and I am grateful for it because I remain close to Him because of that. Yeah you may tell me, ‘you can be fit and be close to Him’ and I’ll agree with you. But years of living outside of the Kingdom have taken their toll on me and the thick skin of sin is too difficult to shed except when the ailment ravages me and I cry out to God and He heals me; thereby allowing me to remain close to Him. I thank God for the ailment for without that, I’d have strayed and gone away.

In our verse today, God emphasizes this when He says that as many as He loves, He rebukes and chastens. God wants us to be zealous toward Him, not only when in a group of believers but also when among the heathen. God wants that we repent because He knows sin is a demon lurking near us and we will succumb. Therefore, He gave us the weapon of the Word and repentance. The moment we repent, God engulfs us with His Grace and cools our hearts. He is a Holy God and He expects us to be holy. That doesn’t mean we will not sin. But with every sin, He will lead us to repentance with the trial He sends our way and we will come back into the fold.