Day 194

1 Chronicles 15:1‐16:36; Romans 1:18‐32; Psalm 10:1‐15; Proverbs 19:6‐7

NO EXCUSES!

Where is God? Well, according to Romans 1, God is the Creator of all things and is in all things. Not only did He create, but He actually made it clear for all to see that He was the Creator. God’s qualities of eternal power and divine nature are made clear in His creation, and man is without excuse when it comes to believing in Him. There is a harsh reality: no one has an excuse for not believing in God! We are walking around in the amphitheater of God’s glory. So why do so many chose not to believe in Him?

Fortunately, Paul answers that question for us in the next verses. We have made an exchange in our lives for what we think a god should look like that is often the complete opposite of the eternal God. We make for ourselves idols that become god and glorify our sinful nature as opposed to glorifying God Himself. To this, God says three times in the passage that “he gave them over to their sinful desires.”

It never fails that in a tragedy people begin to ask the question, Where is God? I believe Romans tells us a lot about that question today. He is right where we have placed Him, outside of our lives. While God has an overwhelming desire for people to love Him, He also allows them to make choices that will honor or dishonor Him. In the case of Romans, they have dishonored, and He has given them over to their desires. Oh, how this reality hits home in today’s society. We have taken the images of gods and made them our god.   “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them” (1:32).

I pray that this would break your heart today in the same way it breaks the heart of God. In the midst of our broken-heartedness, would we cry out to the God who can heal our nation and the people within?

God of all creation, break our hearts for what breaks Yours. Heal our nation and bring us back to a place where we desire righteousness over sin. Help us to love like You have loved us. In the name of Christ, AMEN.

The Rev. Wes Sharp