It's not wise to get in God's face...

While the Jews were wandering in the desert, being prepared to take over the promise land, they got in God's face.  Read on...

 

4They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea,[3] to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way;5they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”

6Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.7The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

8The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.”9So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.

 

God works in the "cause and effect" many times.  You bless God.  He blesses you.  You curse God.  He curses you.  Only because of what Jesus did for us, does God's grace into play.  Because God's only Son died for our sins, God's rath is tempered by His grace. 

 

Sadly, many look upon God's grace as a indication that God doesn't care.  Consider your marriage.  It stinks so you say divorce is the better way.  It will be better for the kids.  You have prayed for God to make your marriage better, but you continue to do the same things that got it into the shape it is.  You know the things you do or don't do that is "in God's face".

 

The God of the old testament would likely have already sent poisonous snakes.  The God of the new testament is waiting for your repentence.  You perceive His waiting as God not caring.  You should be perceiving His waiting as a marker for His grace.  Otherwise, your fate would have already been handed you on a silver platter.

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