Monday, July 10, 2017
But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful,
wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has
made it obvious to them. For ever since
the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly
see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship
him as God or even give him thanks. And
they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and
confused. Claiming to be wise, they
instead became utter fools. And instead
of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look
like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful
things their hearts desired. As a
result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God
created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.
Romans 1:18-25(NLT)
As a young
teen I had an old motorcycle that could never have passed anyone’s inspection,
especially the Motor Vehicle Department.
I have an idea my Dad let me buy the contraption from a neighbor for two
reasons:
#1. It
would never pass inspection, and therefore never hit the streets of Smithtown.
#2. It was
so under-powered my Dad’s
youngest son would probably not crash and burn on the streets of Smithtown while
learning a lesson that he had no business at all on any kind of vehicle without
an airbag.
My Dad
never attended a college class, but he was wise when it came to the foolishness
of his sons. More than once, after I
whined, complained, begged, and promised, Dad had said (with an appropriate
eye-roll), go ahead…do what you want…just
don’t complain about it later!
I can see
Paul’s eyes rolling as he gives us a peek behind the closed door to what God’s
game plan looks like for his foolish children, when, in mock surrender the Father lets his sinful creatures have
their way. It looks like:
All of our
declarations of loving God and being His children mock the truth when we
exchange His ways for ours. This is
applied evenly and undeniably to all forms of sin, lying, stealing, pride,
anger, and the whole menu of sexual dementia – lust, infidelity, homosexuality,
and a growing list of ways to defile our relationship with God.
To complain
we were born that way,
whether it pretends to an excuse for a quick triggered temper, or a sexual preference that isn’t in line
with God’s created order, is inexcusable, simply because God has placed in our
hearts the knowledge that sin is first-degree thumbing our noses at God’s way.
And the
only remedy for it all is repentance, turning back in God’s direction.
For You Today
You
might be like the teenage Russell who, against Dad’s pretty clear instructions,
ran that motorcycle off the hill in the woods at the end of our road. I learned from that mild crash and
walked-away from the crumpled mess…back home to tell Dad he was right!
NOTES
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