Tuesday, January 25, 2022
When We Skew Our Perspective On God’s Creation,
Taking Correction is Welcomed
even if it chaffs.
…
God’s Wrath
though
takes all perspective and vision and life
away from us
in all time.
Jeremiah 10:24
Correct me, O Lord, but in just measure; not in your anger, or you will bring me to nothing.
1 Thessalonians 5:9
For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Words of Grace For Today
There are many people, on earth, and who have lived on earth (and there will be plenty more in times to come), who know that they need no correction from God or anyone else for that matter. They are wrong, but there is little to be done for them. They sit in positions of power, like judges and bishops, archbishops can cardinals, who are pretty hard, if not impossible, to provide any correction to. They get away with bullying, abuses beyond imagination, and making light dark, sweet bitter, and life death. They have no fear … of anyone, especially not God.
There are many people, on earth, and who have lived on earth (and there will be plenty more in times to come), who know that they need every correction available from God or anyone else for that matter. They live humble lives, fearing and loving God, and loving other people, praying that God will have saved them (like that pastor about to retire who expressed his greatest concern to his colleagues over a game of cards and scotch – I was so young and did not understand then – ) ‘from having hurt anyone!’
God’s wrath directed at any part of creation, at any person or any people rips that part of creation with unimaginable agony out of creation. God’s wrath completely unmakes it/them, uncreates it/them, separates it/them from every having existed.
We pray we will never know God’s wrath!
God’s wrath is perhaps well directed towards those who will take no correction.
God promises are that God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
In this promise we live, in fear of God, overwhelmed with love for God and all God’s creation and all God’s people.
It’s a good life, though we know we always need correction, and pray that God’s correction will come in ways that will not destroy us, for we breathe, and work, and pray, and struggle, and love, and hope … as God-made saints and simultaneously as sinner still.
And we pray each day that we will, above all, not hurt anyone, and, knowing that we have and cannot help but still hurt others, we pray for forgiveness each morning, noon and night.