Ingratitude

 Jeremiah 4:19-23

Jan and I are very blessed we have a beautiful daughter, who now is a mother and the wife of Byron and two boys John Mark and Zachary David.  Being an only child and the apple of her dad’s eye we enjoyed much together that is until about the age of thirteen, and for many of those teenage years she preferred her mother's company, and there was a separation of our intimacy.  To say that was not painful to this dad is an understatement; it was anguish, having that bond broken, not to be the hero and one you run to with any need.

But have you ever given any thought to God being in anguish over your separation, you are breaking the intimacy of the Father and child relationship?

In Ephesians 4:30, we are given this counsel; “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”   I wanted to see what Bible scholars had to say on the subject, and after reading a few, I decided on this from Barnes: “We are not to suppose that the Holy Spirit endures "grief, or pain," at the conduct of people. The language is such as is suited to describe what "men" endure, and is applied to him to denote that kind of conduct which is "suited" to cause grief.  The meaning here is, "do not pursue such a course as is "suited" to its own nature, to pain the benevolent heart of a holy being. Do not act toward the Holy Spirit in a manner which would produce pain in the bosom of a friend who loves you.”

Now let me share today's Scripture found in Jeremiah 4:19-22, “My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain! Oh, the walls of my heart! My heart is beating wildly; I cannot keep silent, for I hear the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.  Crash follows hard on crash; the whole land is laid waste.  Suddenly my tents are laid waste, my curtains in a moment.  How long must I see the standard and hear the sound of the trumpet?  For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding.  They are ‘wise’—in doing evil!  But how to do good they know not.”

These are human emotions being stated in a way this dad can understand, but I would not dare to claim they are not the feeling of our Father.  For in the book of beginnings we are told in Chapter 1:26-27; Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."  God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

It is my understanding, it is not a physical image but a spiritual image, and the amazement of our great and mighty God is to redeem us from the control of sin.  His Son, His only Son, took on flesh and identified with us in all ways but sin, for His seed, was placed into a virgin by God’s Spirit, so He was sinless.  Jesus the God-man got angry, He got hungry, He got sad, and Jesus wept over the death of a friend, and He showed love and kindness. 

As one who has lived on planet earth for 74 years, I’ve known sadness and joy, and I’ve often allowed my desires driven by the flesh to not listen to the quiet voice of the Spirit of God.  I believe these actions bring grief to my God and Father.  Now, the last word from Barnes; Ingratitude: "We" feel ingratitude more than almost anything else; and why should we suppose that the Holy Spirit would not feel it also?

From the Back Porch, 

Bob Rice