"For God does not show
favoritism." (Rom 2:11 NIV)
I love the privilege of praying for others and working
as a team with God to encourage those in need. However I am always saddened when
someone writes in to this ministry to say: "God does not listen to me. You are
probably closer to God. I hope He will listen to you." In other words, God is
seen as someone distant and unloving, someone who plays favorites.
Nothing could be farther from the truth!
Does the following promise from God indicate that He
is indifferent to our lot? "For God so loved the world (That includes you, my
friend!) that
he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but
have eternal life." (John 3:16 NIV) If Jesus was willing to die for you, He did
so with one intention: "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
(John 8:36 NIV)
We are the ones who turn our backs on God, complaining
that He doesn't care for us. But if we take the time to discover Him, we will
quickly realize that He has
been with us since the beginning of our existence, ever calling out to us, ever
hoping we will receive His love.
In all reality, there is no favoritism with God. He
offers salvation not only to the righteous, but to every one of us living on
planet earth. We ALL have the choice.
We also have the choice to genuinely talk with Him,
ever knowing that He WILL listen. If we use God as a spare tire, however, we
will not get very far!
"But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt,
because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a
double-minded man, unstable in all he does." (James 1:6-8 NIV)
Most of us doubt. It is part of our nature. We have
been raised up with doubt, in a world of doubt, where people aren't what they
are intended to be. And that same doubt is what hinders us from seeing who God
truly is. It is what keeps us separated from the Most High Himself, as our
perspective is geared towards self instead of towards God or others.
I once received a request from someone who wanted
healing. Unfortunately, this person didn't want God. Just the gifts He can give.
"Give me the gift without the Giver" was the mentality, and this person never
realized that these two go hand in hand.
And here is another fact, if pride has invaded our
lives, which it easily does, we will never be able to see God clearly. Why not?
Because our intention is to manipulate God to our own advantage. The only
problem is, this will only bring about grudges and dissatisfaction. "Pride goes
before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." (Prov 16:18 NIV)
It may surprise you, but God is closest to the
oppressed and broken-hearted. They all have one thing in common: They are a lot
more open to His influence, for they truly have nothing to lose.
"Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed
than to share plunder with the proud." (Prov 16:19 NIV)
"The LORD is close to the broken-hearted and saves
those who are crushed in spirit." (Ps 34:18 NIV)
The purest water on earth is water that has percolated
deep within the earth. All of its impurities are filtered out by the layers of
rock and sediment. In geo-thermal areas, such water comes into contact with hot
rock and is reinvigorated by the heat. Water now becomes lighter and seeks a
route back to the surface creating the hot springs. Water that gets even deeper
into the soil is even more energized by higher temperatures. That kind of water
is used in Iceland to generate electricity.
On the other hand, water that stagnates in puddles on
the surface of the Earth is completely non-drinkable, not even good for bathing.
It is good for nothing other than a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
The same is true if we stagnate in doubt and
delusional grandeur. Only by being willing to be open to the influence
of God
will we ever become reinvigorated. Only then will we experience God fully.
There is truly no favoritism with God. It's too bad we
can't say the same thing for us humans!
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
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The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.