My God Keeps His Promises
My God does not threaten. My God keeps His promises:
Jeremiah 23:1-4 (ESV) “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord.
Your flock, your relationships, your people are not here for you. They are here for God and they are placed under your care, designated by God alone. There is nothing that you have done to earn that. You are not flashy enough, charismatic enough, strong enough, smart enough, holy enough, pure enough or good enough to lead others. God placed you in charge of them.
You are suppose to take care of them, serve them, lift them up, pray over them, watch over them, keep them, bless them, even…
John 10:11 (ESV) I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Some people just don’t get it. They think they there is no God or worst still, they think our God is only a god of grace and mercy.
No. My God is simply not a love/peace/happiness god who dances through the fields with butterflies and thinks “Oh, it is okay that you lead my people astray, preaching false doctrine and taking advantage of those who trust in you. That is okay. I will give you time to figure it out.”
God is both sovereign and gracious. God is both just and merciful. God both rules over all and cares for all.
He is not 50/50. He is 100% of both. He cannot help but to be both.