In years gone by as an employee of Ford Motor Company, General Motors and U.S. Steel;  I expected them to pay me what they had promised, on time and they did.  If you were instructed to be there at 7 a.m. they expected you to be on time.  It was only fair.

If you will study the nation of Israel in the Old Testament you will find that as long as they acted like God’s chosen people, God’s mercy was always available regardless of the need.  However, when they rebelled and sought to do their own thing or serve other gods, God’s mercy was not always there.  God had certain expectations of them and sometimes they found out the hard way.

Today, God’s mercy is still available.  Today not only is mercy available but so is God’s grace.  However, if you will notice when the writer speaks of God’s grace and mercy God is speaking to the believer.  God’s love is there for everyone but His grace is not and mercy has its limitations.  Sometimes it is the wrath of God that comes.

Employers have every right to expect the employee’s to be on time and do what they were hired to do.  It’s a standard we live by. School bus drivers are expected to be on time and teachers are expected to be ready to teach their students.

But what about the Church?  Some members are selfishly casual about honoring God.  Many treat God as an emergency back-up plan but otherwise they want to do their own thing.  Faith seems to be optional.  Commitment is based on their terms, not God’s.  Jesus paid an awful price for our redemption and salvation but many just take it for granted.  We would do  well to re-examine the relationship Israel had with God.  We would find out that God demanded obedience to what He said.  When they disobeyed, there was a price to be paid.  Look at Moses, David and Samson as examples.  Read about Dathan and Korah and the sons of Aaron.  God does not compromise nor does He change.  Remember the 10 virgins that were waiting for the bridegroom to appear?  Only 5 were ready and only 5 went with the bridegroom.  It’s time the Church (believers) be the Church and truly make Jesus the Lord of their lives. God loves us all and is not willing that any should perish but He will not change. He commands His children to be righteous and holy.  None of us are worthy of ourselves but all of us should pursue God’s best in faith.  Remember what happened at Calvary. It was for you and me.

Maranatha!