“But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

As I read this verse, and a few before and after, it really struck me afresh, what a loving and patient God we serve. We, probably, all know when we do something that we shouldn’t. It’s called conscience, I think.  But even though we know we shouldn’t we do it anyway!  Here Moses is telling the Israelites again that they should have no other Gods or worship any other thing under heaven, whether that be a man-made idol or the sun in the sky by day or the starry host by night. The amazing fact is that even if they do so, they can return to God, having realised what they have done is wrong, and God will take them back and love them still.

Those may be the specifics of this verse in relation to the audience of the day. For me today, this verse tells me, with certainty, that my God and yours will be there waiting for us to return to Him when we stray. ‘We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.’  Isaiah 53:6. It’s not a question of if we stray but when we stray. Jesus reminded us of this when he spoke about the prodigal son Luke 15:11-32.

Please don’t be fooled that the amazing mercy of God is something to be taken for granted. Or to believe that it doesn’t matter if we choose the wrong way because we’ll be forgiven. If we truly believe and accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour then we should also become more Christ like as we live our lives with Him.

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Application: 

Are you aware of actions or words you use which are not Christlike?  Are there ways you could stop yourself before you do or say it?  Would an accountability prayer partner be helpful?

Prayer: 

Father God, you alone are holy and perfect, I know that I am not. Lord Jesus you came to set me free from the bondage of sin and I’m so thankful that you don’t condemn me for my sinful ways. Holy Spirit please fill me anew and guide my human thoughts and desires to always put your will before my own and help me to be more Christlike every day. Amen.