God Knows and Loves Me Anyway

Scripture: The Lord will bring you and the king whom you set over you to a nation which neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you shall serve other gods—wood and stone ... Then the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods, which neither you nor your fathers have known—wood and stone. Deuteronomy 28:36,64

Observation: In pronouncing the curses that will befall Israel if they turn away from the Lord, he flat-out repeats himself. He seems to escalate the curses, and then begins repeating them all over again. It is true that Moses does this with several of the laws - states them twice - but this is one continued speech with a progression that builds to a crescendo, then starts over.

And the fact is, we know that many of these curses are brought upon Israel twice, because their nation divides into two and is then punished in two independent waves. The northern kingdom will turn away from the Lord and get crushed by Assyria. Then the southern kingdom will waiver and finally turn away from the Lord, and get crushed by Babylon. The curses are literally visited upon Israel twice.

Even the differences between the repeated curses are predicted. The northern kingdom is driven by evil kings whom the people set over themselves when they rebel against the line of David. The fall of the southern kingdom is the final scattering of Israel when Babylon enforces a historic exile. Clearly ... God knew what Israel would do all along.

Application: One of the most amazing elements of God's love is that ... he absolutely knows I will fail him every day. He knows I'll sin, get angry, hate others, swear, covet. He knows I will commit sin - which he detests and cannot tolerate - and yet blesses me and loves me and cares for my household. Just like he delivered and guided Israel in full knowledge they would absolutely reject him, he loves me knowing I will sin against him.

How can I be so ... evil? I can I respond to such love with such passive nonchalance? I can I have faith in such great mercy and profound hope, then act with total contempt? I do not understand how he could love me. I wish I better honored and responded to that amazing love.

Prayer: Lord, I humbly ask for your forgiveness today. Even at my best, I am unworthy of your love. Please forgive my failures of heart, mind, body, and soul. May I keep your love before me as the only hope I have. Amen.