GOOD FOR SOMETHING (07-26-10)

Jeremiah 13:10
This wicked people who refuse to obey my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts, and follow strange gods to serve and adore them, shall be like this loincloth which is good for nothing.
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I would lie on the sofa face down. And in seconds, I would feel the belt hitting my buttocks and I would cry more due to shear pain. I would immediately get up but I cannot immediately sit.

I do not know if my tears are due to the physical pain or due to emotional pain. Having done something wrong, I would really deserve being punished for it will never be tolerated by my father. After a while, when the pain went away, and the crying stops, he would approach me. He would console me and tell me why he did it and he would just smile. I knew at that time, that I was forgiven.

He wants me to grow good for something great and not good for nothing.

Since childhood, we have been told over and over again – do not do this, do not do that. For our parents know that as I child, we have a very poor concept yet of good and evil. So they have to lead us to the path of good and punish us if we take otherwise. Still, we hurt others, we hurt ourselves and we hurt God - we sin. Each and every one of us has done this at least a few times in our lives.

We have known what was right and what was wrong and still, we consciously, deliberately chose to do wrong. But our God is a merciful God. He is a loving God.

But in the end, He is still the God of Justice. If we continue to ignore Him, we would end up as good for nothing and suffer the pain of Hell. We live in a difficult world, so we must make sure that God is in charge of our lives. He wants us to become something better, seeking perfection as He is perfect.

Almighty Father, My God, I love You with all my heart. Pardon me the evil I have done, and accept the good I have done. May Your love, joy, peace, and patience be at the heart of our relationships with one another. May Your grace be always with me and with all my loved ones. Amen +

You have forgotten God who gave you birth.