Nevertheless

Verse of the day: Judges 2:16, Nevertheless, the LORD raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them.

This is truly an amazing verse. Before we read this, the Scriptures tell us that Israel had forsaken God. Because of their greed and cowardice, they compromised and allowed an idolatrous people to remain on the land that God had given to them. Their failure to completely remove the people from the land, as directed by the Lord, led them to a place where they too became corrupt and idolatrous. Verse 11 says that Israel did evil before God. Verses 12-13 tell us that they forsook God and worshipped pagan gods. God’s anger was kindled against them and He gave them over to their enemies (v. 14-15). I recount all this, not because I want us to focus on how sinful Israel was (for we too are just as sinful), but I want us to focus on what God did in response to their sinfulness. Even though He became angry with them, and His hand was against them, God still loved them and showed them mercy and grace. The last thing Israel deserved, or any of us deserve today, is God’s loving-kindness. Nevertheless…yes, nevertheless, the Lord showed mercy and gave them a way to be delivered from their suffering, even though it came as a result of their own rebellion against the Lord. How much better than that can God have been to them? A better question is, “How much better than that can God be to us?” There are many of us who have found ourselves in situations where we are suffering because of our own choice to sin and disobey God’s Word. We might point our finger at someone else, or even make all kinds of excuses for why we choose what we choose, in rebellion to God’s commands, but the bottom line is that we have no one to blame but ourselves. In spite of that, God continues to be God and seek to bring us back to Himself by being better to us than we deserve. Romans 2:4 reminds us, “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” In spite of God’s goodness to Israel in providing them a judge to deliver them from their times of rebellion, this is what God says about their response to His goodness in verse 17: “Yet they would not listen to their judges, but they played the harlot with other gods, and bowed down to them. They turned quickly from the way in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the LORD; they did not do so.” How often has God shown us His goodness, yet we continue in with our idolatrous and sinful ways, until God chooses to discipline us in a more harsh manner that finally gets our attention? How do we react when God’s discipline finally befalls us? Do we get angry with God? Do we despise His discipline as if God were doing something evil against us? Do we need to be reminded that God’s discipline is His goodness toward us? Do we need to be reminded that He disciplines us because He loves us and we now belong to Him because we called on Jesus to be our Savior? Hebrews 12:5-11 tells us, “And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.’ 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Let us not be as Israel was with God. When God shows us mercy and grace in those times when we deserve nothing less than eternal condemnation, let us respond with grateful hearts. Let us respond with conviction and repentance, turning back to Him. Let us thank Him for loving us so much that He is willing to discipline us, if necessary, to bring us back into fellowship with Him. Today, let us consider how we are living and who we are truly worshipping. Let us put away the idols, the gods, we are worshipping, and turn back to God’s goodness. Let us worship and live for the one and only true God. How much better can He be to us than that He has given us eternal life in Jesus Christ? How amazing is He that in spite of our sinful ways, His response is, “Nevertheless…”?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).