Saturday, April 17, 2010

Do I Disgust God?

When I was young (up to 17 years old!), I would get spankings. I hated them! Not for the pain it brought my behind, but for the disappointment or anger I had brought to my parents. I do not remember anything about the pain, but I do remember the long walks to the bedroom. As soon as I was told that I was going to receive a spanking, I would start crying. Nothing is worse than to know the people you love most are mad and disappointed in you. I wanted their approval; not their disapproval. Mental health experts believe we all want and need our parent’s approval, or their blessing, especially the father's.  I believe that is a desire that God creates within all of us. Yet, many may live their whole life trying to get it!  I have also seen many people who were effected negatively when they did not receive it. They live life in a very destructive manner to them self and to those they come in contact with. It is easy to hold on to it; I have found myself longing for my father’s approval and he has been deceased for six years!
I spend a lot of time talking to you about God’s love and God’s grace. My focus on these qualities of God isn’t meant to take away from our need to eliminate sin from our life. I just believe that there is plenty of teaching out there that hammers sin; I just try and teach what God offers after we fail. One piece of wisdom my many years of life have taught me is that there is nothing my children can do to make me not love them. However, that does not mean I want them to behave contrary to the way they were taught. I do not want them making stupid choices that bring bad consequences on them. I want them to have joy, happiness, peace, and prosperity. Bad choices would rob them of those things. Plus, it would bring dishonor on them, our family, and worse, upon God!
As children of God, it should work the same way. God, as our Father, wants the best for us. His ways are in place to give us joy, happiness, peace, and prosperity. When we sin, the consequences of sin rob us of those things. Our choice to sin brings dishonor on us, the family of God, and worse, on God Himself. Though He will always love us, Scripture tells us that there are some things that we do that He hates! Things that disgust Him! Things that are an abomination to Him! Things that are vile and makes Him sick! Things that most likely, we all of done!

There are six things the Lord hates; indeed, seven are an abomination to Him:
1. A proud look (the spirit that makes one overestimates himself and underestimates others) (arrogant)
2. A lying tongue (lie= a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth, to tell an untruth)
3. And hands that shed innocent blood (murder the innocent)
4. A heart that manufactures wicked thought and plans (devises wicked schemes)
5. Feet that are swift in running to evil (run a wicked track)  ( evil=morally wrong in principle or action)
6. A false witness who breathes out lies (even under oath) (deliberately says untruth against someone)
7. And He who sows discord among his brethren (stirs up dissension) (troublemaker ) (conflicts among peoples opinion, behavior, or characters among people expected to cooperate)
Proverbs 6:16 (the Amplified)
pink/dictionary    yellow/other translations of Bible

I have done most of the list, if not all! The realization that I have been an abomination to God, disgusts me! However, it makes me unbelievably grateful for two things. One, the sacrifice of Jesus! So when God sees me, He sees the blood of Jesus and not the abdominal thing I have done. Two, that God gives me unconditional love!
What about you?  How do you feel about disgusting God? Though Jesus paid the penalty for all of our sins, and though God will always love us, may we strive to deal with the sins in our life so as to please God!  I want to bring Him honor, not dishonor! I want to bring Him joy, not disgust!  Those are the things I want to do, however, I do not always achieve them! God knows we will make mistakes, but His love and forgiveness are always available to us! The problem is that we sometimes act like children who can do whatever we want because we know we will still be loved and forgiven.  If we do that, we mock God's  goodness.  May we embrace His love and His forgiveness, and strive to live a life that glorifies Him.  It is our gift of thanksgiving to Him for the love and forgiveness He gives us!

1 comment:

Steph said...

Just like you I want approval;especially from my parents. Maybe it is part of being an only child as well. It upsets me to think that I disgust God. I am so thankful for his grace and that he sent His son to pay the price for our sins. Those things I do not take for granted.