Coffee With The Lord

Sometimes those you love the most, can hurt you the worst! Just ask God!

I know that there are parents who have experienced the deep wound of rejection, rebellion and ridicule. I’ve counselled spouses who have been emotionally wounded, abused, rejected and violated. I’ve visited with those who have had dear friends who abandoned them, took advantage of them, and even spurned them. Painful stuff! Hard to deal with! But God? God has experienced all of the above from His creatures, His sons and daughters, those He loved, the very ones that He sent His son to redeem and rescue from sin!

This morning I was reminded of that when I read these inspired words written on behalf of our Heavenly Father, by Micah, His prophet, to God’s wayward, ungrateful people…

“O my people, what have I done to you? What have I done to make you tired of me? Answer me! For I brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from slavery. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to help you. Don’t you remember, my people, how King Balak of Moab tried to have you cursed and how Balaam son of Beor blessed you instead? And remember your journey from Acacia Grove to Gilgal, when I, the LORD, did everything I could to teach you about my faithfulness…

“So what can we bring to the LORD? Should we bring him burnt offerings? Should we bow before God Most High with offerings of yearling calves? Should we offer him thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for our sins? No! The LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God!” (from Micah 6:3–8 New Living Translation)

Nothing has changed! We need to be reminded of all that the Lord has done for us! We need to hear the plea of our Heavenly Father as He asks us to return to Him when we have strayed and heed His warnings. We need to return His love – not with sacrifices like pagans seeing to appease their Gods – but with authentic righteousness, mercy toward one another, and humble, devotion to our Heavenly Father expressed in a grateful lifestyle! Don’t know about you, but I want to live that way!

Sadly, I must admit the inspired directive in James 2:1-9 is ignored and violated in many churches! And the Bible calls it SIN!

Here is what the passage says…

“MY BROTHERS, SHOW NO PARTIALITY AS YOU HOLD THE FAITH IN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE LORD OF GLORY. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ while you say to the poor man, ‘You stand over there,’ or, ‘Sit down at my feet,’ have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man… If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well. BUT IF YOU SHOW PARTIALITY, YOU ARE COMMITTING SIN and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” (James 2:1–9 ESV)

The genius of the gospel is that God loves the whole world and Jesus died for all, offering Himself to provide salvation to all regardless of their race, culture, background, education, social standing, (or lack of it), finances, or where they live! To show favoritism or partiality is a violation of the very character of God who is “not a respecter of persons” (i.e. He does not look at us first and then decide if He loves us or not). Furthermore, to show partiality in the church is a direct violation of the 2nd “great commandment” – “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18 and Matthew 22:34-40). Here is one voice urging us all never to be guilty of violating this command by practicing favoritism or partiality! Instead I want to be part of a church – and I want to be a follower of Jesus; a Christian – who reflects the character of God and obeys both the “first commandment” (loving God with all my heart) and the 2nd commandment (to love my neighbors – regardless of who they are – as myself)!