The Reflection of God's Love

2 Kings 17:13-15 (NLT): The Reflection of God’s Love

Again and again the Lord had sent his prophets and seers to warn both Israel and Judah: “Turn from all your evil ways. Obey my commands and decrees—the entire law that I commanded your ancestors to obey, and that I gave you through my servants the prophets.”

But the Israelites would not listen. They were as stubborn as their ancestors who had refused to believe in the Lord their God. They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors, and they despised all his warnings. They worshiped worthless idols, so they became worthless themselves. They followed the example of the nations around them, disobeying the Lord’s command not to imitate them.

The Old Testament is rife with a consistent message to its people: Follow the commandments of God and be blessed; reject his commandments and suffer. The problem, however, is that we often attribute our suffering to God’s punishment. This is not the case, however. Our poor choices result in our suffering.  

If we look carefully at the text and analyze the original authors’ intents, we surmise that it is not God’s punishment that creates our suffering but our poor choices. Like the ancient Israelites and Judeans, we are God’s chosen people. Through our faith in Jesus Christ, therefore, we are brought into the New Covenant with God. And like the ancient Israelites and Judeans, there are times when we fail to choose God’s way of love. Instead we substitute our own poor choices -- vengeance, hatred, gossip, judgment, and dishonesty. The rotten fruits of our deliberate poor choices separate us from God’s grace.

Thankfully, the story does not end with our choice to sin. The story, instead, continues with God’s choice to forgive us when we turn to him. That forgiveness happened 2,000 years ago when God became man in Jesus Christ, taught us the way of love, and carried that loving example to Calvary. When we are steeped in our stubbornness, follow the ways of a wayward culture, or refuse to love our neighbor, we build our own wall blocking the blessings that God desires to give. All we need to do, however, is take an honest look in the mirror. What do we see? Does the mirror show the image and likeness of God? Or does the mirror reflect something that needs transformation? The choice is ours.

Heavenly Father, we pray for the grace to always turn toward your love. We are human and susceptible to error. Take away our stubbornness, guide us in your right path, give us hearts to forgive and love our neighbor as you forgive and love us.

We pray in Jesus Christ’s name, amen.

Have a blessed week!

Stan