2 Kings 24:20    It was because of the LORD 's anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah , and in the end he thrust them from his presence.

              

We concluded yesterday by considering the Lord who is outside of time and for whom our lifetime is but a breath, and marvelled that despite that He steps into our time and speaks and acts. He seems to delight in interacting with us, speaking with us, acting on our behalf.

 

However, sometimes that can be bad news! The Lord who is God Almighty is also the One who created and designed this world and knows how it best works. When He calls us into relationship with Him it is with the aim of restoring us to the original design criteria, and that involves relating to Him. When we don't do that He takes action to draw us to Himself. When we persist in stubbornly going our own way, He takes stronger action. When we have become His people and have received revelation of His heart desires for us and the way He wants to bless us, and yet still turn aside from Him, He takes action to discipline us, in order to bring us into the place of blessing.

 

When Judah , despite all the warnings the Lord had brought to them, insisted on turning from Him to idols, the Lord took action to bring that idol worship to an end. This nation that was supposed to be a light to the nations, had to be put on a fresh course, and thus came about the Exile, a temporary glitch in Israel's walk with God. May we not be so foolish that God has to discipline us strongly!