We deserve a PADDLING!

 

I remember a Sunday when I was a kid living in Greenwood, Indiana living on South County line Road. We came home from church and my brothers and I were playing in our MAKESHIFT CLUBHOUSE, (No girls allowed!). As I remember, that day my sister was outside as well and somehow she lost the bow on one of her nice shoes. All of us boys were accused of doing it. My dad called us boys into the bedroom to "punish" us. We were innocent and DAD knew it. He faked a paddling and we were told by Dad to make sure we cried and acted like we were really paddled. (Yes, Paddling was a thing back in the day and we were not traumatized by it. WE LEARNED FROM IT!)

We definitely tormented our sisters and believe it or not, we were not always kind. LOL! But, this time we were innocent. BUT, I KNOW there were many times we did something and got away with it. I can certainly think of things I did as a kid or a teen that DESERVED PUNISHMENT. I got a few paddlings in the day, but not nearly as many as I deserved. Sometimes we got caught and sometimes we didn't. I am glad I got caught enough times that I LEARNED MY LESSON. 

I think of that on my walk of faith. I have, so many times, deserved a good PADDLING from my creator God. There are always consequences to our sin and our punishment is deserved. But, I humbly accept the MERCY AND GRACE of JESUS realizing I don't get what I really deserve. 

As I was reading the end of Isaiah 24, I was thinking about the punishment promised for the PROUD RULERS of this world and the "gods in the heavens." It looks like they are getting away with all their evil, their sin, and the chaos they create. But God will have the last word:

"In that day the Lord will punish the gods in the heavens and the proud rulers of the nations of the earth. They will be rounded up and put in prison. They will be shut up in prison and will finally be punished. Then the glory of the moon will wane, and the brightness of the sun will fade, for the Lord of Heaven's Armies will rule on Mount Zion. He will rule in great glory in Jerusalem, in the sight of all the leaders of his people." (Isaiah 24:21-23, NLT)

We are suffering because of the gods and proud rulers. Just note when we say "little g" gods we are talking about the spiritual forces that oppose the BIG G GOD of the Universe. They are wreaking havoc here in our families, communities, nations, and world. Those forces will be defeated and punished once and for all time. I praise God that all this sorrow, sadness, and pain will soon fade because GOD will FINALLY REIGN on HIGH! AND I thank God that he sent his SON, JESUS, to take that punishment for me. He took the lashes of the whip for me. He took the crown of thorns for me. He took the nails in his hands and feet for me. I deserve the same punishment as the gods and proud rulers. But I have decided to follow Jesus and accept his gift of grace and mercy. PRAISE GOD!

What about you?  Have you accepted JESUS as your LORD and SAVIOR? Have you accepted his gift of love, mercy, and grace?  Why not do it now? We praise God that he cared so much for us that he sent JESUS.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life!" (John 3:16)