HAVE YOU EVER REBELLED AGAINST GOD?

Today's promise: God is always calling us back to him

Have you ever rebelled against God?

"My wayward children," says the Lord, "come back to me, and I will heal your wayward hearts."

Jeremiah 3:22 NLT

"When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and you stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, 'I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.' And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone."

Psalm 32:3-5 NLT

"Create in me a new heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me... Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you."

Psalm 41:10,12

A tug-of-war with God

The rebel rejects the expectations, rules, and power of the organization or individual holding authority.

Rebellion can be good, as when we rebel against unjust or sinful societal pressure.

Rebellion is like a great tug-of-war; the authority figure holds one end of the rope while the rebel pulls on the other. The picture changes dramatically if we imagine the rebel's feet being mired in quicksand. Such is rebellion against God. God pulls on the rope, not to ruin our lives, but to lead us toward safe footing.

From the TouchPoint Bible with commentary by Ron Beers and Gilbert Beers (Tyndale) p 1257 For more on this week's topic, check this Tyndale resource:

The Prodigal Brother by Sue Thompson (2005)

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House