LOVE OVERLOOKED

The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statues.  Psalm 119:64

Every day the earth showcases fresh outpourings of God’s steadfast love. The sun comes up.  The earth stays on its axis.  Oxygen is plentiful.  Rain falls.  Crops grow.  Deep springs are replenished to provide water.  We are such a speck in the solar system, so fragile in the big scheme of things.  It wouldn’t take much to set us off course so that sustaining life would become impossible.  Just read about any other planet and it’s a sobering experience.

Yet, mankind rails against God.  He is accused of being unloving, uncaring, unmerciful.  When we open our mouths and speak words of blame, we need the oxygen that God provides to speak our blasphemous words.  Cursing follows, cursing that uses God-given energy.  In spite of our misjudgments against Him, his steadfast love is born again on the following day.  This is yet another example of His longsuffering nature.

Let one calamity occur, and we are tempted to malign God for decades.  What about the years of days that preceded it?  Times were normal, seasons passed, but God’s goodness often went unnoticed.

In the second half of my life, I repent for such ingratitude.  I vow to live, every day, aware of a God who restrains His judgment despite the sinfulness of His children.  His goodness and mercy are measured, not just by personal wish lists, but by the widespread extension of His gracious hand over the earth.

You reveal Yourself every day if I just look for you more carefully.  Open my eyes and fill my heart with Your presence.  Amen