God Remembers

"The LORD sent against him bands of Chaldeans, bands of Arameans, bands of Moabites, and bands of Ammonites. So He sent them against Judah to destroy it...to remove them from His sight because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done...and the LORD would not forgive."  - 2 Kings 24:2-4

For generations, God's people had drifted further away from Him. They ignored His laws and disobeyed His commands, even embracing idolatry. Over and over, God tried to warn and correct them. He sent prophets to remind them of His Word.       For a time, the Lord continued to forgive them and grant them His mercy. But finally, the day came when they needed to face the consequences of their actions.       This happened when Jehoiakim was king of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army captured Jehoiakim and brought Judah into submission. God told them to cooperate, but when they ignored His Word, He sent bands of raiders against them. They needed to realize that His warnings were real...His Word was true...and their sins were so terrible that God "would not forgive."       The same principle is true in our lives. God wants us to know that He is a God of grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love, but He also is a God of law and justice. One of His unchangeable principles is that we Reap what we Sow (Galatians 6:7). We have choices about our words and actions, and in every area of life, we experience the consequences of our choices.       This is God's warning to each of us as individuals, and it's also His warning to nations. He always stands ready to forgive us, but He will not always shield us from the consequences of our actions.       Today, think about the Seeds you're Sowing in your life through your words and actions and what you do with your time and talent. You will Reap what you Sow. Make sure you are Sowing good Seed into Good Ground.