Touched!

Touched!

He heals the broken-hearted and bandages their wounds. Psalm 147:3 GNT

It cannot be overemphasised why we need to keep away from sin. God has always made it clear that He hates sin. Whatever He calls sin is sin, no matter how 'enlightened' or 'mature' the generation is. He held Abraham to His own standard, as well as Daniel and also Simon Peter. Right from the days of biblical accounts, God punishes sin. He didn't let Adam off the hook because He made him in his own image, and He didn't let Cain off the hook either. In all instances of the Bible, man was punished for sin. If this is the standard as laid down by God, what gives us the confidence to think that we can escape punishment if we walk the same path as these people did? 

Today's extract speaks about God and his mercy towards Jerusalem. Israel and Judah had sinned, and God had punished them. They had gone into exile; the walls and cities of Judah had been burned down, even though some were fortified cities and fortresses; the temple, the symbol of pride and the 'physical' representation of God's presence, had been burnt with fire and its treasures taken away into other lands. Let it be said again: God will punish sin no matter in whom it is found. God has no favourites when it comes to His Word, and all who obey are blessed and all who disobey are punished. It is as simple as that.

However, the story doesn't just end there. God punishes sin, but His mercy just doesn't let go, until it is too late. As long as I am alive, I am never too far away from God's mercy and grace. God's nature is grace, mercy and forgiveness, but it is also about standards. You can't take one and reject the other. So, God punishes but He also blessed. He disciplines but He also embraces. He applies the rod, but He also applies the balm. As I deal with God, I must keep this understanding at the front of my mind. 

So, He punishes the sin, but He also heals the broken-hearted. He wounds, but He also heals. That is the balance about God that I must recognise and respect. There is no point to speaking about God's love without speaking about His judgments. So, if I will access this grace, God has to do His Work in me and I must let Him. If today's extract will be true in me, I must surrender to and cooperate with God, so that whatever it is He wants to do, He has free rein to do as He pleases. Only then will I turn out exactly as He purposes. His time of favour is here.