Have you ever been
at the receiving end of unexpected ingratitude? It is not easy to deal with a
backhand after one has done so much for the person on the other side of the
fist. Years ago Louise and I went out of our way to help a couple as they
struggled with the husband’s terminal illness. We counselled them, prayed with
them, wept with them, sat with them, went with them to their many doctor’s
appointments, and even took care of him through the night so that she could get
some sleep. After his decease, we continued to support her, help her through
the many difficult times, and made sure that she was always included in various
activities now that she was considered ‘single’. Imagine then our surprise when
a few years later she turned on us, gossiped about us, and rejected us at a
time we were in desperate need.
It wasn’t easy
back then and, in fact, it isn’t easy now…it still hurts even just to talk
about it.
But I simply
cannot condemn her, as I know I have done the same thing to God on numerous
occasions. God has been so very good to me…to us, I should say. He has never
failed us nor has He ever abandoned us, as the author to the Hebrews points
out. He is always faithful…an ever present help in times of need. He has been
our helper...He has been our provider…
And yet there have
been times when I have doubted Him, ignored Him, dishonoured Him, disappointed Him,
or hurt Him by doing something or saying something I ought not to have done or
said…or not doing something or by not saying something I ought to have
done or said.
I’m sure all of
you know what I’m talking about. I’m not talking about adultery or murder or
even lying or stealing. I’m talking about the times when we are unkind in our
thoughts, words, or deeds…the times when we neglect to help those in need…the
times when we think we are better than others…the times when we neglect our
Lord…these are the things I’m talking about.
In so many ways we
are just like Judah in the time of Jeremiah…can you hear the raw pain in our
Lord’s voice as He speaks through the weeping prophet? “What did your ancestors
find wrong with Me that led them to stray so far from Me?” When children turn
against their parents, as they so often do in their teens and early twenties, or
when parents are little more than an embarrassment to their children, it cuts
deeply. It is no different with our Lord.
He brought the
Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, He protected them and provided for them in
the wilderness, He gave them victory over their enemies, He gave them a visible
reminder of His presence with them…but they rebelled against Him and chose
instead to worship idols. He gave them a fertile and fruitful land, trees and
vineyards and orchards they did not plant, houses they did not build…but they
forgot Him and thought of their possessions as things they had earned
themselves…and they abused the land instead of taking care of it. They did what
even the pagan nations around them did not do…they changed gods!
A Setswana proverb
says: “After I weeded and tended a beautiful thorn bush, when it grew up, it
turned against me and pricked me.” I feel like that with my cacti sometimes! But
my point is…pun well intended…if you hadn’t cared…if you hadn’t gone out of
your way to help and care for the person or persons…if you hadn’t given so much
of yourself…if you hadn’t loved as deeply…then it wouldn’t hurt that much. In
fact you could say it would be like water off a ducks back. But the pain lies
in the fact that you gave sacrificially only to be ignored or mocked or
rejected or attacked.
Listen to the
Lord’s anguish as He looks over the city of Jerusalem a few days before they
murdered Him on the cross: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the
prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your
children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but
you wouldn’t let Me. And now, look, your house is abandoned and
desolate.” Can you hear the grief and the sorrow? Luke tells us that as Jesus
approached Jerusalem at that time He began to weep. “How I wish today that you
of all people would understand the way of peace.” He sobbed. “But now it is too
late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.”
How people can
think of God in terms of an angry Father who delights in dealing out punishment
is beyond me. God is grieved when we rebel against Him! Through the prophet
Jeremiah God says to His children: “Night and day my eyes overflow with tears,
I cannot stop weeping, for My virgin daughter – My precious people – has been
struck down and lies mortally wounded.”
True, God is
provoked and He does get angry…but His anger is based on His love for us and
for His creation. Just as we get angry with those who abuse others or who
pollute creation because we care, so God’s fury is kindled when we do things
that harm the defenceless or even when we do things that will ultimately harm
ourselves. The Scriptures tell us that He is slow to anger and quick to
forgive. So what I am trying to say here is that He does not deserve to be
labelled an angry and vindictive God…He is patient and compassionate and He delays
judgement as He wants people to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus.
You know, it’s
funny how we are quick to ask why God doesn’t judge others for their misdeeds
while at the same time we tell Him not to judge us!
In the final
chapter of the book of Hebrews, the author gives us a list of the things we
ought to do if we are to live happy and fulfilled lives. Show hospitality,
remember those in prison and those being mistreated, be faithful in your
relationships, don’t love money or things, be content with what you have,
honour your leaders, don’t forget to do good and to share with those in
need…the reason we are supposed to do these things is because in doing them we
reflect the character of God! In doing these things we please God because we
demonstrate by our actions that we are like Him…that we belong to Him…
Again, Jesus gave
us a glimpse into God’s character in our Gospel reading for today. Did you
notice how He praised the humble person who took the lower seat and how He
indicated that this person would be honoured and exalted when taken to a higher
seat? Well, likewise our God is a humble God. When Jesus entered into Jerusalem
He did so in fulfilment of a prophecy in Zechariah 9:9: “Tell the people of
Jerusalem, ‘Look, your King is coming to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey
– riding on a donkey’s colt.’”
In Philippians
2:6-8 Paul tells us about the attitude of Jesus, the Son of God: “Though He was
God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to (or hold
onto for the sake of pride – hey I’m God, dude, treat Me with respect!).
Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a
slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled
Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” Jesus came
to show us the heart of the Father…and to model Christian living through
humility and obedience.
I think the
Eucharist displays God’s love for us clearer than anything else…here at our
Lord’s Table we see so many things…that God loved the world enough to die for
it. Go study all the other faith traditions out there…you will never find a god
who loves like this!
And even as Jesus
hung on the cross He prayed that God would forgive those who had abused Him,
lied about Him, rejected Him, mocked Him, spat on Him, beat Him, and who were
in the process of murdering Him while still arrogantly proclaiming their
innocence…that, dearest beloved brethren, is the heart of our God.
American
Evangelist Paul Washer once said: “I have given Christ countless reasons not to
love me. None of them changed His mind.”
What is it that
stands between you and God this morning? Is there any bitterness, any hurt, any
disappointment…do you feel He has given you a bad deal…that somehow He should
do better by you…that He owes you? Or perhaps you think of Him in negative
terms…as a God Who always finds fault with you or punishes you or who
disapproves of you. Take these thoughts and compare them to the words we have
read and heard this morning. Does your attitude reflect the truth? Or are you a
bit like Judah? Or like the arrogant man that thinks he deserves the place of
honour because he is better than the other guests? Does your life reflect the
love and humility and kindness of the God revealed to us in the Scriptures? Are
you grateful and thankful for what you have or do you think you deserve better?
Are you, like Him, forgiving and willing to love even when mistreated and
abused and rejected?
Ask the Holy
Spirit to reveal your heart to you this morning…to show you your heart as He
sees it…and then come to His Table and let His love for you wash away the hurt
and the anguish and the pain and the anger you may be harbouring in your heart.
© Johannes W H van
der Bijl 2019-08-28
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