"Perhaps we have lost the fear of God because we take His grace for granted. At the very begining God said to Adam and Eve, 'The day you eat from [the forbidden tree], you shall surely die.' (Genesis 2:17) They ate from it but they did not die that day. God showed them grace."
"He continues to be gracious. We are alive only because God is merciful. But instead of our accepting the mercy of God with thankfulness and keeping the perspective of fearing God, we begin to get used to it.Consequently, when God does punish sin,we think He's unjust."
- John MacArthur, Jr.
From "The Ultimate Priority"
There are many reasons why our worship is not full, is not focused, is not holy unto God. The most common one, however is a lack of knowledge concerning God and His character. We often think that his mercy out-weighs his justice and that his grace is in greater measure than His wrath. Simply not true. He is the very definition of each of these things, meaning that He is fully and completely defines both mercy and justice, both grace and wrath.
As Christians we are continually given mercy and grace because God sees us through the blood of His Son, Jesus, just as He saw our sin placed on Him. But we cannot allow this wonderful out-pouring of favor keep us from seeing just what we have been saved from: our just dessert of God's wrath and our deserved punishment of His eternal wrath. How blind we are when we fail to see our sin for what it is and what it cost our Saviour on the cross to secure our complete and total forgiveness.
Father, forgive us for thinking You less than You are, thinking Your justice or wrath as any less than completely holy and unstained by worldly definition. Forgive us where we have fallen short in giving You what You deserve and give us hearts undivided by wants and cares that distract from Worship in the fullest measure. Thank You for sending your Son that we my come before the throne with reverance.
Jesus, what a friend for sinners You are. It is Your obedience that has paid the price for our wandering thoughts, Your blood-sacrifice which covers our meager offerings of empty promises. You have met every requirement where we have failed. Bless You, Jesus, our dear, perfect and sinless Substitute. You, our Beloved Brother, our Saviour, our Lord.
Spirit of God, prick our hearts with rememberance of the just and dreadful reward we have been saved from through the blessed gift of the eternal Lamb who took our sin upon Himself, who suffered the punishment which was rightfully ours as if it were His very own.
"Praise to the Lamb that was slain!
Praise to the Father who gave His Son away!
The proof of love the price of grace.
You traded all to take my place.
You died for me so I could be a child of God."
- Todd Proctor
