Kept

Jude 24  24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. 

John 10:27-29  27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else.  No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.

1 Peter 1:3-5 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Since I've been studying the divided kingdom of Israel I've been learning a lot more about God's character.  I've learned His love doesn't depend on me.  His reaching out doesn't depend on me.  His faithfulness does not depend on me.  He keeping His Word doesn't depend on me.  His plan doesn't depend on me.  He is loving, even in discipline, faithful in even my waywardness.  

The Israelites rebelled time and time again.  Just like us.  We waver in faith and obedience.  The Lord brings correction to those He loves.  And like Israel, eventually if we don't repent He will leave us to our consequences.  He will give us over to enslavement to our sin.  But, and this is a big but, He does not utterly forsake us.  He waits.  Waits for us to get so sick of our sin that we run back to Him crying for forgiveness.  

You see, He is the One who keeps us.  He is the One who holds us in His hands.  He is the One who died to save us and He is the One who will bring us home to Himself.  

Now, we may live in our mess for a very long time if we don't turn our hearts and eyes back to our Father.  He will not be mocked.  What we sow we will reap.  The Lord will allow us to fall into slavery and despair if that's what it takes to get us back to Him.  Look at the prodigal son.  He had less to eat than the pigs (unclean animals to the Jewish people of that day) he was taking care of.  He lived in filth and rags until he came to his senses and sought the forgiveness of his father.  And it's the same with us and our heavenly Father.  

But God's love never fails.  His correction always comes from that place of love.  He is keeping us in His sights wherever we are.  

Lord, thank You that You never fail to love us, even when we are at our most unlovable.  Thank You that we can never be taken from Your hands, never go to far as to not run back to Your arms.  Thank You for not stopping to reach out to us, even when we stomp away and follow our own ways.  Thank You that there is an inheritance for Your children, and that You will bring us to that place of abundance.  Lord, give us hearts to hear Your voice, to be obedient, to repent quickly and not need the severe punishments as did the nation of Israel.  Soften our hearts.  Thank You that we can count on Your love, every day...even our worst days.  We love You.  It's in Jesus Name I pray.  Amen.

Repent quickly.  Obey quickly.  And don't forget you are loved.  

Isaiah 40:1-2  “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!”  Says your God.  2 “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her,  That her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.”