Daily Devotional for Thursday, September 19

God and the Rebellious

“A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this. When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever,” Psalm 92:6, 7.

The puffer fish looks about as threatening as a pet goldfish but it carries deadly toxins that can kill a person after just a few bites of improperly prepared puffer sashimi. Every year several people in Japan die from eating this unique fish delicacy, and many others get sick. The danger is so great that Japanese chefs must receive years of training to learn the intricate skills of removing the lethal toxin before they can be certified to serve pufferfish. (USA Today, December 26, 2013)

As we examine society and see sin running rampant, it may cause us to be frustrated or even despair. However, God’s Word is clear that He will ultimately and finally punish sin one day. These verses reveal to us that the wicked will go on sinning until judgment finally comes. Those who deny God are living as if there will be no judge and no punishment for their sin. But Scripture is clear, there will come a reckoning one day.

For the child of God, we may respond to the evil in the world with anger and frustration. However, the coming judgment of the unsaved should cause us great sorrow for their end. We read these truths that God will judge the wicked, and we ought to be moved by compassion and evangelistic zeal. While we despise their evil acts (and we should), we ought to be brokenhearted for their condition and move with compassion to share the gospel. Salvation through Christ is the only way to remove the toxin of sin.

FINAL THOUGHT
May the evil of the world and the coming judgment cause us to faithfully share the gospel.

Steven Ridings