Welcome to Redeem the Commute. I’m Ryan, your host for this daily challenge. It’s Thursday, the day we try to apply and live out what we’ve learned this week from the Bible. This week we’ve been studying
We were impatient, and God was patient. Thankfully this wasn’t just a one-time reality. He was showing us he was a patient God who would be generous to us even when we didn’t deserve it.
So many people assume God works quite differently. We assume that God bases his actions on ours. When we are good, God owes us good things in response. When we’re bad, we expect karma – bad things happen to bad people.
Just watch the reaction to the Ashley Madison hack, when the entire user database was released from a dating web site facilitating marital affairs. Many people will quickly jump to conclusions that God was somehow behind this, giving people who sinned their just desserts. But when a friend gets cancer, few will make that same conclusion that suffering is justified by their actions. That would be karma, and what God was demonstrating with every single action in the Exodus story was that he was a God of grace.
What we find here is a God who gives generously, lovingly, regardless of what we deserve. This is why he gave the world his only son, Jesus. This is why Jesus died on the cross, to forgive us all our sins.
So our job isn’t to somehow earn God’s love and forgiveness. He’s already patiently given generously to us. Our job is to give thanks, by living our lives in his way, growing more godly and Christlike through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Since we’ve seen God’s patience today, let’s think about how to live out that particular aspect of godliness today.
Think of someone who has frustrated you recently. What needs to happen to resolve the situation? A relationship with Jesus brings us forgiveness, not perfection. Pray for clarity and the opportunity to recognize when you need to extend the same type of grace and understanding that Jesus has given you.
Challenge: Be patient and uncomplaining while driving or while dealing with others this week. Act with patience in a frustrating situation this week. Thank God for his never-ending patience in your life.