Psalm 68: 5-6
“A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in His holy habitation. God settles the lonely in families; He leads the prisoners out to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.” Psalm 68: 5-6 NIV
Do you remember the television game show Truth or Consequences? In case you are not old enough to recall the show, this is how it played out: The contestants on the game show had two minutes to answer a question. If they did not answer correctly before the buzzer went off, they had to face the consequences. When a contestant found themselves facing their consequences, they would be required to perform some embarrassing stunt in front of an entire television studio audience and millions who were watching from their television sets at home. The Producer, Ralph Edwards, would often refer to himself and the other producers by asking the audience, “Aren’t we devils?” The contestants endured being laughed at while performing their consequence.
Sometimes I think we do not take the consequences that God has promised for the disobedient and rebellious very seriously.
I think most of us like to think of God as the “Big Man Upstairs,” or, maybe, we think of Him like a genie in a bottle. He is up there patiently waiting for one of us to find Him so that He can grant our wishes.
We tend to forget God is holy. He has a sacred agenda. He also has prepared consequences for those who choose the path of rebellion and disobedience.
Regardless of how fast things are changing in our world, we can rely on this truth; God remains the same. He is the same today as He was when Psalm 68 was written. His agenda has not changed, and neither have the consequences for rebellion and disobedience.
Yes, it is true, we are blessed to live in an age of grace, but grace is not a get-out-of-jail-free card that we can pull out whenever we decide to go our own way or behave any way we desire.
We were bought at a price. A price neither you nor I could ever re-pay.
As the days grow darker, our focus should be more narrowed toward the things of God.
God has a place for you at His table. Do not miss out on His plan for you because of being dead set on having things your way.
Remember, our choices have consequences. Those choices can bring us closer to the God who created us and gave His all for us, or they can put us in a dry, sun-scorched place. The choice is ours.
