2 minute read.
Daily Reading: 1 Chronicles 15:1-16:36 ESV, Romans 1:18-32 ESV, Psalm 10:1-15 ESV, Proverbs 19:6-7 ESV
Daily Verse: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” (Romans 1:18 ESV)
ORGE (3709): “From 3713; prop. Desire (as a reaching forth or excitement of the mind), i.e., violent passion by impl. Punishment. God’s purposes in judgment, Romans 1:18.” [i]
God’s purposes.
No one hurts us more than ourselves. We blame God for choices we make that negatively affect our lives, then call it God’s wrath. Consequences do exist for the decisions you make. For some reason, we decide our mistakes equal God’s wrath.
Our introduction to God’s wrath happens in Genesis when Eve bit into the forbidden fruit. God didn’t make her bite the apple; Eve made the decision. When the Creator walked through the garden, Adam and Eve’s sin caused them to hide, covering up their nakedness. What did God do? He clothed them with animal skins. The first sacrifice happened because of man’s sin.
Consequences happen.
Would sin exist in the world if Eve never bit into the apple? I don’t know the answer to that question. If the alcoholic knew the first drink would lead to his demise, would he still take a sip? Often in life, we don’t know how the choices we make will impact us in the long run. No one knows the future but God.
When we sin, in whatever manner, God does forgive us, but He also lets us endure the consequences. Spending more money than I had led me to debt. God’s word clearly states, don’t become a slave to the lender, yet I did. As a result, I spent years paying off my debts.
Often, during that time, I wondered why God didn’t provide the means for me to become debt free. After all, God owns all the resources, right? What I know now, if the Creator supplied me with a check, I wouldn’t have learned the lesson.
God does have a purpose for us in this life, and He understands our sinful nature. Jesus bridges the gap between God’s perfection and our imperfection. The Creator will do whatever He wants, but sometimes, God’s responding to what we did.
And the response remains the same as when God clothed Eve in the garden, love.
[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 181) Thomas Nelson
