NEGLECT OF GOD - PART 2

First of all, I must apologize as I bring everybody down from the “High” we were riding on yesterdays devotional; “Feed my sheep”, part #1 in the series the neglect of God. But I must address the last point in this issue. In this part #2, we must examine our side of the neglect issue.

It is obvious from the previous devotional that neglect is not in God’s vocabulary. Indeed, we see in scripture that God has provided every means possible to NOT ever be guilty of the sin of neglect. All thru the Old Testament, God kept providing a lifeline to fallen mankind by means of the blood of bulls and sheep. One historian wrote that the Kidron valley ran red, as if painted, by so much killing of animals and shedding their blood as a temporary offering to momentarily appease the Holiness of God. And God accepted these weak and putrid sacrifices, just to keep in touch with us.

He sent us prophet after prophet, to speak with us because we had no way to communicate with him. Then finally, after hundreds of years of putting up with temporary means, and animal sacrifices, that could never satisfy his curse pronounced in the garden of Eden, that the soul that sinneth shall surely die, he sent us his best, his PLAN A. He sent us Jesus. And be sure of one thing reader, everything Jesus did was not for his benefit, but for ours. Scripture records this; “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2). Neglect from God? Let me put it this way, that phrase “joy that was set before him” is translated poorly. Let’s read it the right way, it goes like this; “who for INSERT YOUR NAME HERE, endured the cross, despising the shame.” Neglect from God? The Bible states;” Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him;” (Isaiah 53:10). God so loved this world that it gave him Joy to destroy his own son, knowing he would get many sons in return. He was not satisfied with just one son; he wanted many, so he gave his only begotten son to the curse of sin, to get you and me. I ask you, could you ever say God has neglected you? Never my friend!

But we have him haven’t we? Be honest, you will spend more time watching football, reading a book, watching a movie, putting overtime in for that precious dollar of yours than one hour with a God who bankrupted his supplies in Heaven to get to us. We will stand and shout and wave as some man throws a stupid ball across a field to another, but the house of God is as dead as a mortuary in worship and praise. God’s word teaches that to those who have been forgiven much loves that much more. I ask you, what has he cleaned up in you? What kind of dirty, filthy, horrid things has he set you free from? Has he took the broken and busted and unfixable thing called your life, and repaired it back to normal? Even better than that, has he took the thing that you thought was lost forever in your life and gave it back to you like it never left? He certainly did when he gave you his son Jesus. Make a commitment today to rid yourself of the sin of neglect.

Spend time with God in prayer. Read his word and begin to commune with the Holy Spirit every day. God gave you his best, his PLAN A, and he gave some of you reading this your PLAN A back in your life when you thought all was lost. Let’s don’t be guilty of shaking our nose of neglect in God’s face any longer.