Fail StampA verse in my morning Bible reading started me down an interesting path,

one that had several high hills and deep valleys. While reading in the book written by John the Apostle, here is what caught my attention and my heart:

[blockquote author=”John 12:43 NLT” link=”” target=”_blank”]

For they loved human praise

more than the praise of God.

[/blockquote]

John was writing about some of the Jewish leaders who secretly believed in Jesus, but would not admit it publically. While it is easy to quickly criticize those Jews for not identifying with our Lord, my mind immediately went to my own life and actions.

To my discredit, there are times when I have not let others know of my love for Jesus. No, you can’t stop every person you see and let them know. But in the course of my daily activities, I must admit I have sometimes failed to give praise to the Lord Jesus when I could and when I should.

But God.

But God in His grace and mercy allows me to grow into the individual he designed me and desires for me to be. The Old Testament is full of the story of God’s chosen people rejecting Him. Yet when they repented and desired to praise and serve the Lord, He accepted them back and blessed them.

What love.

What love the Father bestows on us. What grace he shows in our lives. What patience he exhibits as we fail to serve Him with our whole heart. What great love.

Do you remember the hymn about God’s love? The story is told that one of the verses in the hymn was found scratched on the wall of a Jewish insane asylum. Somehow the love of God had penetrated the twisted mind of a person, and they could not keep from acknowledging the Lord’s amazing love. That final verse of “The Love of God” is a canticle of praise to a loving Lord.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above

Would drain the ocean dry;

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky.

Refrain:

Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure—

The saints’ and angels’ song.

May we strive to live in a way that shows we desire the praise of God over the praise of men…every day.