How He Loves

Cheater. Deceptive. Liar. Coward. Adulterer. Deceitful. Hateful.

These are all words I've either heard or used frequently in the past few months to describe a person who doesn't remain true to their significant other. It was in the midst of pain that I carelessly threw these words around and used them to bring down particular people. Not to affirm truth. Not to build up. The main reason I used them was to tarnish the name of the one who hurt me. For my sake.

Then I realized, I am all those things as well. I've cheated. I've deceived. I've lied. I've been a coward. I've committed adultery. I've been deceitful. I've been hateful. You might be thinking, "What on earth is she getting at?" We're all these things. We've done all these things to God. When was the last time you had a great time in God's Word and sought comfort eating that piece of chocolate cake instead of falling in His arms? I'm consistently bad at just ignoring what's bothering me or running to work, school, friend time, cooking, and other distractions to get over it. That's cheating on God.

In Mark 8:38, we're called an 'adulterous and sinful generation.' Our relationship with God is THE move important than any other relationship we will ever have. What kind of spouse have you been? You may say, "But Christina, that's not my relationship with God works." If this is you, you are missing out on something extraordinary.

Isaiah 54:4-8
    Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more. For you Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. For the Lord has called you like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when she is cast off, says your God. For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you. In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you.



This is an amazing relationship.


As I've continued to think about this, the more awe I have for God. The pain I'm experiencing is experienced by God. every. time. I cheat on him.
Let's be modest and admit that happens at least five times a day.
     That's a lot of hurt.
I'm 21 years old, and Scripture teaches our nature is sinful, so 5 x 7665 (days I've been sinning and cheating on Him) = 38,325 minimum times in my life that I've cheated on God.
     That's an awful lot of hurt.
And that's just me! Multiply that by the number of people who have ever lived or ever will live. People who live longer than I have or will. People who don't know the name of Jesus.
     The amount of hurt that God feels from us cheating is astronomical.

Yet, he says 'I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.' (Jeremiah 31:3)
This is amazing love. God calls us to this relationship and he KNEW we would be unfaithful to him. For all the hurt we cause him, he continues to give us love.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)   

This post has mostly become about cheating. It's a problem we need to think about. Our society has a tendency to blacklist carnal cheaters. But we're all spiritual and emotional cheaters on God. He the only one who deserves our affection, our hearts, our bodies, our minds, our very beings and yet we claim them for our own.
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? (I Corinthians 6:19)

We're an adulterous generation. But if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). 

Stop being a cheater. Learn from the Lover. He wants your heart.

~Christina