How Angry Can God Get?

They turned back and were faithless as their parents. They were as undependable as a crooked bow. They angered God by building shrines to other gods; they made him jealous with their idols. When God heard them, he was very angry, and he completely rejected Israel. Then he abandoned his dwelling at Shiloh, the Tabernacle where he had lived among the people. He allowed the Ark of his might to be captured; he surrendered his glory into enemy hands. He gave his people over to be butchered by the sword, because he was so angry with his own people – his special possession. Their young men were killed by fire; their young women died before singing their wedding songs. Their priests were slaughtered, and their widows could not mourn their deaths. Psalm 78: 57-64 NLT

How angry does God have to be before he forsakes us?

In the books of Judges and I Samuel, God gets so jealous and angry with God's people. God finally gives up and allows his holy dwelling to be desecrated and the Ark to be captured. God allowed the people to be killed. This was not just a whim on God's part. God had tried again and again to allow the people to stay on the right path, but they never did. They were just like the previous generation in the desert, forever complaining and never doing as God asked.

What kinds of behavior do you see yourself doing as previous generations in your family? Is history repeating itself? Or have you broken the mold and done your faith journey differently? In your life, have you ever felt you had truly angered God? What kind of things happened to make you think that?

God, we don't want you to be angry at us so that your forsake us entirely. We tend to turn back and be as faithless as previous generations. May we turn around to you and follow where you lead now and always. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims