Tuesday Reflection- November 17, 2020

For God’s Sake

How many times have you heard the expression ‘for God’s sake’ or even used it yourself? ‘For God’s sake’ is an appeal to an authority or a set of values that far surpass what is yours or that of the local community. It seeks to ground your response or action on what you hold dearest and value highest, your relationship with God. In today’s daily watchword God explains through the prophet Isaiah that His actions of mercy towards us is not because of us but because of who God is. Indeed, what case could any of us present before God in defense of ourselves, to be deserving of God’s grace? It is for God’s sake that we receive God’s grace and mercy. It is because of God and not for anything that we are or have done, why we are kept by God’s grace. Hear God’s word through his prophet. For my name’s sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, so that I may not cut you off. Isaiah 48: 9

Israel was described by God as a hard-headed, stiff necked people. In other words, they were stubborn and disobedient even though they were living under God’s grace, privileged to worship in the temple and blessed beyond measure with God’s provisions. Taking for granted what they should have valued most, they lived ungodly lives while expecting God’s best for themselves and their loved ones. This was not acceptable to God then and still is not today. Israel’s tribulation was therefore God’s way of keeping them in check, reminding them who was in control. Note that the word defer means to hold back until a later time. God was not forgetting their tribulation, rather God was processing them. The passage goes on to speak of God’s refining Israel, testing them in the furnace of affliction. God used their hardships to remind them who He was, who they were to Him, and to turn them back to Himself. God’s desire for Israel and for us is for our salvation, for us to be Christlike in every aspect of our lives. Anything less than that is to fall short of the goodness of God. Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Coll 3: 1

God holds back from treating us as we deserve, in order that God’s name may be glorified. If we are honest with ourselves, then we will take a daily look at our failures and shortcomings and give thanks and praise to God for his sparing mercies that secured us and brought us to the end of the day. Yes friends, the righteous fail daily but God remains faithful. He never fails in his fidelity to us and sustains us despite our failures, our shortcomings. Is it any wonder that Charles Wesley wrote the hymn in which he wished he had a thousand tongues, all to be used in praising his God? O For a thousand tongues to sing My dear Redeemer’s praise! The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of His grace! When we recognize that as righteous or as holy as we think we are, it is only God’s mercy and grace that keeps us, we have no choice but to give God praise because it’s not us, it’s for God’s sake. But there’s more. The unrighteous are not destroyed in their unrighteousness because God shows restraint towards them, even as they are brought through the process that will bring them give praise. God’s desire indeed is not for any to be lost but for all to come to a saving knowledge of God through Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3: 9). God acts therefore for God’s sake, for God’s glory and in so doing guides us to be beneficiaries of His actions, of his grace. To those who refuse to repent, to praise, to make the necessary changes in their lives, God’s deferred judgment awaits. Those who see God at work and become better servants, however, are guided on to spiritual growth and maturity, as God brings us through tests and trials, as silver and gold through the refiner’s fire. Life has its share of ups and downs, its hardships and trials, but God uses them to bring us closer to Him, to live better lives, and get us to become habitual praise and worshippers, not for us, but for God’s sake. Amen.