I have been going through Beth Moore’s study of David, A Heart Like His, during my quiet times. The passage that I read on Monday this week has stayed with me all week long.
I cannot get it out of my mind.
It is one of those things that I just HAVE to share with you. I won’t be able to get it off of my mind until I do. Not that I really want to get this out of my mind. It has made me think this week about God’s goodness and His great love for us all.
2 Samuel 14:14 says, “We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life, and he devises means so that the banished one will not remain an outcast.”
Let’s take a closer look at two very important aspects of God in this verse…
1. God will not take away life
2. He devises means so that the banished one will not remain an outcast
Scripture is timeless and eternal. Scripture that was written many years before Christ can say so much to us, right now….many years after Christ lived on earth and died on the cross of calvary for our sins.
I have often been asked why a loving, caring, merciful God would condemn people, unbelievers, sinners, to an eternal life in Hell.
My answer, as displayed in this verse is that God does not take away life. He is not willing that any should die.
He is a loving God
He is a caring God
He is a merciful God
And He devised the greatest means imaginable so that the banished one will not remain an outcast.
He sent His son, yes, His only Son that He loved to this earth.
To live on this earth as human,
to be rejected and rediculed,
to be accused and betrayed,
to be beaten and cursed,
to die a painful and agonizing death.
For one reason…so that the banished one will not remain an outcast.
That banished one is me,
that banished one is you,
that banished one is anyone that has ever been born.
Because we have all been born sinners.
Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”.
Yes, all…every last one of us…have fallen short of God’s glory because He is perfect and we are not.
But he has devised a means for us to not remain an outcast. By simply believing and accepting the gift of His son.
Life is all about choices, because God gave us a free-will when he created us, we are able to make our own choices and decisions.
From the minor, seemingly simple decisions that we are constantly making throughout our day…what will I wear, eat, listen to, watch, etc…..to the huge life decisions….who will I marry, where will we live, what will I do with my life, etc. We are able to make our own decisions.
We are able to make a choice to accept Christ’s death as the payment for our sins….a free gift of eternal life, or not. And not making a choice at all is making a choice not to accept this gift.
But there are also consequences to every single decision we make.
If I choose to eat McDonald’s on Friday night…I’ll gain two pounds by Monday. It’s not McDonald’s fault, though, that’s just the consequence to my choice.
If I choose to stay up late tonight blogging….I’ll be tired and probably also grumpy in the morning. It’s not the computer’s fault, or the internet’s fault, that’s just the consequence to my choice.
If I choose to speed through a red light….I may end up in a traffic accident, maybe even a fatal one. It’s not the car’s fault or the traffic light’s fault, that’s just the consequence to my choice.
In the same respect, if I choose to reject God’s means for me not to remain an outcast, I will be just that.
An outcast.
Seperated.
From my God.
Eternally.
And that is hell.
But it’s not God’s fault. He hasn’t been unmerciful, unloving, or uncaring. That’s just the consequence to my decision.
Have you made a decision to accept God’s means, His provision, for you not to become an outcast?
I pray that each one of you reading this will think about the decisions you have made in your life and about the consequences to those decisions.
Linda@cookingtipoftheday says
A very inspirational message… thank you.
homegrownstrawberries says
AMEN! I love the Beth Moore study I am doing now, “Breaking Free” Highly recommended
Jenn says
Great post, Monica. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I love Beth Moore Bible studies… I’m getting ready to start her study, The Patriarchs, this fall.
Jennifer Scruggs says
What a clear, concise, beautiful presentation of the GOOD NEWS. LOVE IT. Have to share it. Thanks for speaking the TRUTH God placed on your heart! And thanks for praying for my friend Tina too. 🙂 Love ya! Jenn
Erin @ Closing Time says
What an excellent post. It was such a blessing to read it. Thank you for sharing! I believe it will impact many lives.
LifeAtTheCircus says
This was beautifully written Monica.. Amen! Thanks for sharing!
PS: I too have found myself challenged and inspired from Beth Moore’s studies.
Muthering Heights says
Thank you for deciding to share this! 🙂