“God Loves You Still!”

“God Loves You Still!” (Ho.11:1-4).
In the story of “Footprints in the sand.” a man is walking in the sand and seeing two sets of footprints. That was when life was good and everything was moving on well for him. Then suddenly when life becomes tough and he is at the lowest and most hopeless moments of his life, he sees only one set of footprints.
Believing that God abandoned him in his difficult days, he asks why God had to abandon him in his tough times, such that he was seeing only one set of footprints? God explained to him, “My son, when things were rough with you and you couldn’t walk, I carried you.”
In tough times we think God has abandoned us, meanwhile that is when he carries us. God is often pained that he loves us from childhood and wants us to be by him, but like Israel of old, the more he calls…the further we go from him. We prefer idolatory sacrificing to the Baals of our time and burning incense to them.
Like in the story of the footprints, the Lord lamented for Israel’s idolatory and abandonment, “It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them…”
We are not any different from Israel of old, but God in his love is still giving us the great invite to the great banquet. Those who think much of their self-importance would ignore and give excuses because they want to attend to their own affairs. What is rejected by them would be benefited by all whom the master calls from street corners to come enjoy the banquet(Lk.14:15-24).
“Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb…”(Rev.19:9). It is not enough to be invited. That is why while we are called to share in the Lord’s Supper, the minister adds, “Come now with faith and repentant hearts to the table which the Lord has prepared for you.”
We cannot enjoy a table with the Lord without repentant hearts. We are blessed that we have been invited to the marriage feast of the Lamb, but a repentant heart is like a wedding garment. Those without the garments are thrown out.
The merciful and compassionate God has invited you to the great banquet. The choice is yours to accept or to excuse yourself. We are blessed to be invited, doubly blessed when we accept and much more blessed when we have the wedding garment.
Sunday prayer: Lord Jesus Christ thank you for always being there for me, even when I do not deserve your presence or know you are there. Amen!
Have a blessed Sunday! Peace be with you!