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As a child, I learned to behave properly when adults rewarded my good behavior and punished my bad behavior. This worked pretty well because the reward or punishment generally came quickly after the behavior, making the relationship between the cause and effect unmistakable. When I became an adult, however, life got more complex, and the consequences of my actions were not always immediate. When I behaved badly without getting in trouble for it, I began to think that it didnt matter to God what I did.
Something similar happened to the children of Israel. When they disobeyed God and didnt suffer any bad consequences right away, they said, The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see! (Ezek. 9:9), indicating their belief that God had lost interest in them and didnt care about their bad behavior. But they were wrong. Weary of their waywardness, God finally said, None of My words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled (12:28 niv).
When God delays discipline, its not due to indifference; its due to His very natureHe is gracious and slow to anger. Some see that as permission to sin, but God intends it to be an invitation to repent (Rom. 2:4).
Good Morning Jaycee
How are you? I’m going through all the posts and they are beautiful. I love them all. Your Sunday post is so gorgeous.
Have a great day!
Morning Jaycee. I’m seeing the sun but feeling the cold, sigh...