May It Never Be!

Romans 11:1

I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be!

My wife and I have a puppy that barks all of the time. We’ve heard from a very reliable source that we could have his vocal cords removed… but that would just be cruel. To tell you the truth, the problem is one deeper than his strong bark. It has much more to do with his free heart, his longing for independence, and the desire to do whatever he pleases.

“Off the couch, Jake!” is followed by a weak, high-pitched yelp that no dog this tough should be able to make. “Go to bed Jake! The bathroom’s outside, Jake! Stop pulling on the Christmas tree, Jake!” All of these, followed by “you can’t tell me what to do” barks of defiance. I don’t know what Kristie and I will do if the Lord ever blesses us with children.

I started thinking about the relationship I had with my parents as a teenager. I remember the times that I’ve yelped in a defiance of my own. I’ve disobeyed them, disrespected them, and all but disowned them at times. Nonetheless, I always knew that they would love me and forgive me when I came to my senses. That’s what parents are supposed to do; it’s called unconditional love.

Unconditional love is best demonstrated, however, in a God who says to His people, “All the day long I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people” (Rom. 10:21). This love is made manifest in a God that would sacrifice His one and only Son as a ransom for that same people, a nation notorious for their disobedience and defiance of the Lord. The unconditional love of God is witnessed in Paul’s words, “God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be!”

May it never be! Regardless of the distance you now feel from our Lord, may it never be! In spite of the defiance you have displayed against the Lord’s direction, His will, and His commands… may it never be! Just as I will never remove the vocal cords from our puppy’s throat, just as my parents were always accepting of my remorse, your God will forever be the giver of unconditional love. All that is required is your repentance. All that is required is a heart that admits to its wrongs and longs for forgiveness. Will you wait any longer before coming to the Lord? May it never be!