Last night at church during the worship time Pastor Ben, our worship leader, led us in this song, ‘God, You’ve Been So Good to Me.’
As I sang the song and worshipped the Lord, I began to hear the Holy Spirit speak to my heart He said, “See the stars in the night sky, they are countless, and, as much as, the grains of sand on the seashore they’re innumerable. As deep as the oceans that are without end, and as high as the heavens, they reach beyond your comprehension. There are galaxies and planets and universes so prolific you can’t measure…that’s how much my love, is, for you!”
This morning in my prayer time I cried out to God for our nation and for all people because God’s love is for everyone. Even while we sin and turn our back on him. Even while we continue to keep him inside the tomb of our sinful hearts, God loves us. But we do not love him back.
I’m sharing this with you because God is calling to you, “Where are you?”
The enemy is still using the same lies he used in the garden. He uses them over and over again, just as he spoke to Eve, all those years ago…He hisses, “Has God said? Surely you won’t die…look at the fruit, it’s good for eating. God knows, that in the day you eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil you will be like him.”
He spoke to Eve’s physical desire, the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. She questioned even repeated what God had told her not to do. But she believed the lie. She did die that day and she gave some to Adam and he too died and for all time mankind was separated from God because of the lie and their disobedience. That’s how the enemy of God does it…He stole what belonged to God. He is a thief and a liar.
Adam and Eve lived in a beautiful garden. All their needs were met. They were truly happy and content. They would fellowship every morning with God, Abba. Now they would live in poverty and want. Scorched by the blazing sun in summer, struggling to provide food for themselves. Pain in childbearing, rebellious children, man lording over the woman, no longer peace and harmony between them, even murder within the family. They didn’t die physically that day, no, it was a spiritual death so much worse. Adam and Eve lived with their sin, knowing what they had lost and given up, for one bite of Knowledge: good and evil. They paid a high cost for their disobedience. Living, day in and day out, with the guilt and shame, a lifetime of regret and suffering. If they had only known…if they had only listened to the Father…but they gave in to the whisper of Satan. It was too late. They hid from God. There would be no redemption in their lifetime. Can you imagine what they must have thought all those years and when they did finally die what agony they must have felt. Death without pardon. Satan thought he had won.
But now, there is Hope! A Savior did come. Satan thought he had won then too. But the perfect sacrifice, the blood of God’s only begotten son, fulfilled the law and the prophets. By obeying the Father, Jesus gave up his physical life to restore the spiritual life for all mankind for all times. By His, obedience, to Abba the Heavenly Father, Jesus took back what had been stolen.
Will you continue to hide from God the Father? Will you live in constant torment and unbelief? God is calling, “Where are you?”
Come out of hiding. There is redemption and hope and peace if you’ll only come and eat of the Tree of Life you will live and not die.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever (that’s you and me) believes in him, will not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (emphases mine.)
Yeshua (Jesus) is the Son of (God) Jehovah!
~Marla Shaw O’Neill April 4, 2024
Listen to the song below:
