Devotion #2: Eleven Regrets - Manic Drive

Take a few minutes to listen to Eleven Regrets by Manic Drive. 

How far can you run? If I told you to take off and run until you couldn't run anymore, how far would you get? Five miles? Ten miles? 26.2 miles? What if you "ran away" from God? You turned your back on all you've learned about Him. You blocked out the numerous ways He has reached out to you throughout your life and chose to run away. Would He let you have your way? Would He intervene with an amazing love that can't be measured? When I hear Eleven Regrets, I think of times in my life when I ran. Full of shame and strong-willed to do things my way, I ran, no matter what the consequences might be. 

God is a God of second chances. When asked by Peter (in Matthew 18), “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”, Jesus says, "“I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." He's essentially telling him to forgive without end, just like God forgives because Jesus was the perfect sacrifice. He took our spot on the cross and paid the price for our sins through His death on the cross. I know I'm so thankful for the waterfall of grace that's constantly pouring over me. I'm so thankful for God's unending forgiveness because of Christ. When have you had to forgive someone over and over again?

So, when does God intervene in our lives? I would argue He intervenes daily. Yet, He still lets us make our own mistakes, knowing that when we live our lives apart from Him, it leads to emptiness. There's nothing in this world that can fill us, satisfy us, except God. When has God clearly intervened to save you from yourself or from something? It's good to take time periodically to reflect on our relationship with God and thank Him for saving us and helping us. See Isaiah 41:10.

Summary Questions

• If you took off and ran until you could run no more, how far would you get?
• Was there a time when you spiritually ran away from God?
• When have you had to forgive someone over and over again?
• When had God clearly intervened to save you from yourself or from something?

Prayer:

God, I'm sorry for being strong-willed and bent towards sin. Help me to be led by you and your love for me. I ask that you intervene in my life if I'm headed towards disaster, destruction. Please keep my close to you and help me to love you with all of my being. I'm so thankful for your love in my life. Help me to love others with that same love.