 I’m sitting here listening to a song that reminds me of how good God is.
Last summer, I fell in love with this song. I remember listening to “His Name” with my blue Beats as I glanced out the car window at Florida’s morning sky. My family and I left Clearwater Beach early in an attempt to make it to church that evening in North Carolina. I was really excited to visit this church. All went well until Savannah, Georgia. While traveling the middle lane of I-95 at a speed of 70 mph, a log came flying like a missile and busted through our windshield. Despite the shock, my dad kept control of the car. The log only penetrated further as he applied the brakes. With no other options, he brought the car to a stop on a bridge. After calling the police, we waited for nearly 30 minutes. Meanwhile, vehicles zipped past us . . . 70 mph on a bridge.  Do you ever feel like God is against you?
I’m not talking about your sin. I’m not talking about your wrong thoughts, actions, and intentions. I’m talking about you as a person. Do you ever feel like God is against you? You may feel like God is against you, but that’s not what the Bible says: “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31 NKJV). Why, then, do we feel like God is against us?  Everyone likes to receive, but not everyone likes to give.
“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7 NKJV). Maybe you believe God is greedy. Maybe the Church makes you feel pressured to give. But giving is a huge part of God’s Kingdom. Jesus says, “‘Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also’” (Matt. 6:19-21 NKJV).  Spiritual warfare is very real.
Jesus says, “‘The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life’” (John 10:10 NLT). God is chasing us down with a heart full of love. Satan is chasing us down with total hatred. “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12 NLT). |