But all they gave him was lip service; they lied to him with their tongues. Their hearts were not loyal to him. They did not keep his covenant. Yet he was merciful and forgave their sins and did not destroy them all. Many times he held back his anger and did not unleash his fury! For he remembered that they were merely mortal, gone like the breath of wind that never returns. Psalm 78: 36-39 NLT
Lip service! How often have I seen this in the churches I have served! You honor me with your lips but your hearts are far from me, says God. The same people who confess Jesus as their Lord and saviour with the Apostles Creed on Sunday morning are the same back-stabbing business people you can't stand in your own workplace.
Yet, God still loves them. And God still loves me, too.
Even when we are disloyal, even when we break the covenant, God still forgives our sins, God still is merciful. God holds back his anger. God remembers that we are human.
IN the communion service, we say that even while we were yet sinners, God gave us Jesus Christ. That proves God's love for us.
It isn't the love when we are good that is true love. It is the love when we are bad that is true.
God, thank you for loving us when we are loyal and when we are sinful. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims
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