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Real Hope or Wishful thinking?

Some verses in the Bible that are difficult to understand ... requiring a lot of prayerful thought and searching out - even then the answers may not be entirely satisfying. There could be a whole host of reasons for that, but as we keep searching the Lord has a wonderful way of giving answers.

Some verses, and this is today's thought, are quite easily understood, plain in meaning - but perhaps hard to comprehend/accept. Take Isaiah 13:11 where God speaks through the Prophet saying "I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless."

For many, this may be difficult to reconcile together with a God of Love, Mercy and Grace. How could someone who 'Loves perfectly' do such a thing?

The challenge is to maintain a balance in the whole character of God - which is threefold - He is a God of Truth, a God of Holiness and a God of Love - all in perfection, without over emphasising any of them to the exclusion of the others.

The degree to which we appreciate how far short we are, is the degree to which we marvel and the love, mercy and grace of the living God - who made that which is unacceptable, acceptable in Christ.

We might hope that Isaiah 13:11 won't happen, or might not believe it will - but neither will alter the course of the future. We have a way out, accepting Christ as Saviour, which makes it all the more important that we take seriously the command of Jesus to go into all the world and propclaim this gospel message.

As Oswald J Smith once wrote, and I paraphrase - "No-one should have the privilege of hearing the gospel twice, before everyone has had the privilege of hearing it once!"
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