Lent, Day 13: GOD DOES NOT PUSH AND SHOVE

Scripture:   John 12:36-43 

Focus on the Word

During His ministry not everyone believed in Jesus.  Not even his miracles convinced them.  We are told, “But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him (John 12:36, NLT).  Some people simply will not believe, for whatever their reason.  God keeps bringing the message but eyes remain closed and hearts unreceptive. 

And, at times, God gives people over to their unbelief.  He gives them what they want, and what they want is nothing to do with God.  Aware of this Jesus says, “Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light” (John 12:36, NIV).  

In the time of Isaiah the prophet the people were so hardened to God and His ways that God “blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart” (John 12:40, Isaiah 6:10, NASB).  Yet, God told Isaiah to keep on preaching to these folks even though they would not hear.  Why would God call Him to do this?  Because God isn’t about blinding spiritual eyes and hardening spiritual hearts.  God is about redemption, about forgiveness, and about drawing the world to Himself.  But God doesn’t seem to push Himself onto people.  In a thousand kind of ways God seeks us and draws us.  Those who will not hear seem to become hardened to the love of God.  He allows it, but He does not stop loving and caring and calling.  

Lent is a time to remember how compassionate and tender is our God.  He doesn’t push and shove.  He loves, woos, entices, pursues, and encourages but He does not force.  So, we listen and seek and pray.  We slow down and examine ourselves so that God might show us anything in our lives that might lead us down a road to hardness and blinded-ness.  Search me, O God, is the sincere pray and passion of our lives.  “See if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting say” (Psalm 139:23-24, NASB).

Today’s Prayer

Lord, teach me to listen. The times are noisy and my ears are weary with the thousand raucous sounds which continuously assault them. Give me the spirit of the boy Samuel when he said to You, "Speak, for Your servant hears." Let me hear You speaking in my heart. Let me get used to the sound of Your Voice, that its tones may be familiar when the sounds of earth die away and the only sound will be the music of Your speaking Voice. Amen. (A. W. Tozer)