God Allows U-Turns

"I will heal their waywardness

and love them freely,

for my anger has turned away from them."

Hosea 14:4

Growing up on a small farm, I have amazing memories of the animals we raised.  There was the time I spent watching my favorite cow give birth to a snow white calf whose eyes were fringed with long lashes and an adorable curly forehead, or the assortment of dogs and cats we adopted through the years.  Animals filled my childhood with joy.  

There was one dog in particular who was different than all the others.  I'm not sure where we found "Skippy" but he was a trouble maker.  He frequently ran away, making him the only dog we ever had to tie up.  This little energetic mutt was the color of peanut butter and dug holes all over the yard as well as humped the leg of my best friend every time we tried to play tether ball.  Skippy was a mess and my mom soon reached the end of her patience and adopted him out.  

I am not unlike Skippy.  Besides having a propensity for getting into mischief, I also tend to stray away from the path Jesus has set me on.  I get distracted by opportunities to quench my desires,  I go on a quest to please man, running off the path in the process.  Other times I chase after selfish dreams that fall outside of God's will for my life and take me to a place far away from Him.  

Thankfully, I am reconciled through faith in Jesus Christ to a holy and just God who is also a loving, gracious and merciful God.  When I turn away from my unfaithful pursuits and go back to Him, there is much blessing to be reaped.

Heals my Waywardness

There's a song in Annie Get Your Gun where the main character sings about her uneducated family and how they still get along just fine, "Doin' What Comes Natur'lly."  They simply follow their instinct.  I can do the same in my life, merely following my natural inclination.  The problem is, my flesh is in conflict with God.  I can't follow Him and me; I must choose.  

As I come back to God and desire to do things His way, He provides a way for me to stay on track.  The Apostle Paul explains that when I do what comes naturally, my mind is focused on my own needs and wants and I am walking on the path that leads to death, finding it impossible to please God.  But when I follow God's Spirit, I think about what He desires and go toward life and a state of peace with Him.  Following Him, I find I'm able to do what pleases Him.   (Romans 8:5-8)

Dedicating my life to following Jesus does not mean I will never make mistakes or fall off the path.  What it does mean is that I have a way to please God.  I am able to think about lovely, noble and true things.  His love will flow through me and touch the lives of those around me.  I will have power to resist the temptation to go back to my old, sinful ways.   I am a new creation, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which He prepared in advance for me to do!

I no longer live for me.  Thanks to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, it is no longer me who lives, but Him who lives within me!

Repentance of my old ways leads to the blessing of power over my tendency to stray.  

Loves Freely

One of the greatest gifts Jesus has given me is the freedom for me to be myself.  I have spent a lifetime trying to be who I thought I should be, repressing the "unacceptable" or embarrassing parts and pretending to have more popular or tolerable traits.  Now, as I truly understand God's love for me, I am released from my fear of rejection: His perfect love has driven it away. 

The Sidewalk Prophets sing about this amazing love of God.  Take a moment and listen to the words of how He loves me, even though I'm sometimes afraid to try, to trust, to truly live.  But mostly how He loved me enough to die for me even though my sin condemned me to death.  He loved me: His mocker, His enemy, His executioner.  He loved me enough to take my punishment, even though I don't deserve it.   How could this be?

Repentance of my old ways leads to the blessing of His overflowing love in my life.  

Turns His Anger Away

As a child, I knew when I had gone too far; pushed too many buttons; crossed the line.  I knew the punishment I was about to receive from my dad was well-deserved.  I had earned it.

In the same way, I have earned God's wrath.  My sin deserves the punishment of death.  There is no doubt about it: I have crossed the line of God's acceptable behavior.  Perfection is His standard, and I have fallen far below.  

God, in His great mercy, does not give me what I deserve.  Instead, He sent His Son to take the punishment He requires for my sin, paving a way for me to get to Him.  This is the definition of mercy: God not giving me what I deserve.

You see, I am a natural-born enemy of God, earning His wrath.  Colossians 1:21-22 says that I was alienated from God and was an enemy in my mind because of my evil behavior.  Maybe I don't think I'm evil, but my natural tendencies repulse His holiness!  But. . . now he has reconciled me by Christ's physical body through death to present me holy in God's sight, without blemish and free from accusation . . .

Each breathe I take is evidence of this turning away of God's righteous anger.  I should be dead because I am in conflict with Him.  Instead, He chose to let me live.  Can I ever truly comprehend this truth?

Repentance of my old ways leads to the blessing of His mercy, shielding me from His anger.

Even though I'm just like Skippy the dog and tend to wander away from God, turning back to Him offers many blessings.  I will be healed from my desire to please my flesh and given a way to live faithfully for His glory.  His love will flow freely into my life through His amazing grace, and His mercy will turn His righteous anger away from me.  In short, what I give up in turning away from my old ways pales in comparison to the glory that awaits!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will turn back to Him in all the areas I've been unfaithful.

How does fear block the love God freely offers?

When do I fail to offer this love to others that He so abundantly gives to me?