GOD'S HEART GRIEVES

HIS HEART WAS FILLED WITH PAIN

By Synthia Esther

The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that He had made man on the earth, and His heart was filled with pain - Genesis 6:5-6. When God spoke to Moses to deliver His people from Egypt, Moses listened, however, he did things his way. Exodus 2:11-14, "One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he klled the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, "Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?" The man said, "Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid and thought, "What I did must have become known." Be sure of this one thing my friend, "Your Sins Will Find You Out!" - Numbers 32:23. There are times in all of our lives that we have done things our way. Call it being stubborn and rebellious, we suffer when we take matters into our own hands.

This too is addressed in God's word: "But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts; they have turned aside and gone away. They do not say to themselbes, 'Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.' Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good." - Jeremiah 5:23-25

KNOWING GOD GRIEVES IS IN REALITY KNOWING HE UNDERSTANDS AND RELATES TO OUR PROBLEMS, INSECURITIES, SORROW, AND PAIN...

No doubt Moses felt the stinging pain of his mistake. Pain is a common occurence in life. In fact, one cannot live life without feeling pain. The death of a child, the birth of another, both hold pain in hand, as we are each born dying. The fact that God can and does feel pain is comforting to me. For who would want a father who couldn't relate to his child's grief. Knowing God grieves is in reality knowing He understands and relates to our problems, insecurities, sorrow, and pain. Most of my life I viewed my circumstances from my own limited and personal perspective, never realizing how my attitude may effect God. I began to reflect on the past sins I committed that grieved God. The brief moments I allowed myself to think on the many mistakes I have made, my mind was prompted by the Holy Spirit to recall the scripture verse in Isaiah 1:18. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow, though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

OUR GOD, JESUS CHRIST, FORGIVES....

All past sin is forgiven by God the moment we ask and accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and friend. Like wise, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness - 1st John 1:9. To live a life that pleases God requires a life that is dedicated to God. In Psalm 63:1, David conveys a genuine longing for our heavenly Father, "O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you." When a person seeks after God's own heart, they strive to avoid sin and its desturctive consequences. God knows our sin, but He also knows our heart, remaining ever faithful to forgive. May I live my life to seek His will, proclaim His purpose, and forgive others as He has forgiven me.

Additional scripture references filled with soul inspiring truths that transform:

Luke 6:37 - 49, Psalms 109:16-31, Proverbs 15:23-26