By Pastor Bob DeKlavon
Many years ago, I had a father in my church concerned for his young adult daughter. She had strayed from the Lord and he had prayed that God ‘would do something to bring her to Him.”
A few months later, shortly before Christmas, she drifted to the side of a road.
She overcompensated and ended up in a head on collision.
The family lost count of the number of doctors who worked on her—trying to save her life.
By God’s grace, she survived and that is where God ‘showed up.’
The appearance of God was not through a burning bush or through a fiery angel.
God showed up through a ‘church’ filled with people who loved Jesus and wanted to help a young adult.
They bought and brought a Christmas tree for her room.
They brought presents and…’their presence’ to spend time with her while she recovered.
Through the love of God shown through His people—He got her attention and she came back to Him.
Yesterday, I wrote about God wanting to get our attention.
Just like any parent—we want our children to do what is right because…well…it is right.
We give incentives and rewards and we offer boundaries and encouragement.
Look through God’s Word and what do you find?
Over and over He is exhorting His people and pleading with His people to do what is right.
He gives incentives and rewards and He provides boundaries and encouragement.
Sadly—there are also consequences for doing what is wrong.
Even in those consequences, though, there is the desire for our children to learn and do what is right.
It is when we come to the book of Judges—that we see this pattern:
There is: wrong…punishment…restoration…wrong…punishment…REPEAT..over and over again.
Several places in Judges we find this revealed, but it is clearly offered in Judges 2:
v. 15—“…the LORD was against them for evil.”
v. 15—“…they were severely distressed.”
v. 16—“The Lord raised up judges who delivered them.”
v. 19—“…when the judge died, they would turn back and act more corruptly.”
God has gotten the attention of the world.
Right now:
Money isn’t the answer to this problem and with all the reliance on science—it hasn’t found a solution.
Government or education or anything else upon which we rely can’t overcome this right now.
God has gotten the attention of the world.
But here is what really struck me today: has God gotten the attention of the church?
Has God gotten the attention of ‘me’ and ‘you?’
I thought of the questions above as I read this prayer—may it be your prayer and that of Faith Bible.
“May I never vex Him {the Holy Spirit} by my indifference and waywardness,
Grieve Him by my cold welcome--Resist Him by my hard rebellion.
Answer my prayers, O Lord, for Thy great name’s sake.”
The church has an incredible opportunity to ‘be Jesus’ for so many right now.
As God gets ‘our’ attention—may we help others see Him…over…and over…and over again.