The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand. Isaiah 1:3.

For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone. Lamentations 3:31-33.

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” Lamentations 3:22-24.

When you read Scripture you can’t help but see correction. I was reading our chapter, 2 Chronicles 25, and couldn’t help but pause and pray because the Spirit tugs at me. The man of God replied, “The Lord can give you much more than that.” v. 9. It was referring to so much. In this specific instance the man of God was telling the current king of Judah, Amaziah, to let go the Israelite soldiers, 100,000 fighting men that he had hired to bulk up his own fighting force of 350,000 men. He had hired them with a 100 talents of silver. The king was worried about the silver.

I thought about why we are so averse to the word obedience. Do we not understand that God is faithful and he corrects in love for our good? I couldn’t help but see myself kneeling before a huge mound of mud and dirt as rain is falling and me trying to shove the mud off that is thick and clinging. At first I thought as I watched that it was the word obey that was caked in clinging mud but realized it was the word love that was uncovered not by my efforts but by the rain. We fight and resist and all the while it is God in His love for us faithfully helping us. And His thoughts to me? As you receive from Me, don’t withhold from others.

I have been asking God to help me not hate others. It’s a big ask. In this present age we are becoming haters of others. There are even Christian organizations in this country inspiring others in other countries to hate groups of people, homosexuals, because they believe God hates them and they are doing God’s work. Does that sound familiar in the history of us? Is hate for others God’s will? Or perhaps, is it trusting God to heal each one of us in His Love and His timing that is always for our good. Is it God’s will that we trust Him?

Without God’s faithful love guiding us, we worship without understanding. It doesn’t need to be that way. Turn away from the hate. Look to God – Father, Son, Spirit – to heal all of us in His great Love because we each need His healing. He knows how to redeem and restore and heal…great is His compassion that never fails! Thank You, Lord, for so great a Love!