heavenly Father – Moment to Moment (Bible blog)

How can I curse someone God has not cursed?

How can I denounce someone the Lord has not denounced? (Numbers 23:8)

As I read those words, I thought about what Paul said to the Roman Christians.

Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies.

Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. (Romans 8:33-34)

Satan would denounce us before the Father for all our sins and failures.

Sometimes, we even denounce ourselves.

But how can we denounce someone our Father has not denounced?

Our Father justifies us by the blood Jesus shed for us on the cross. And Jesus himself stands by the Father’s side and defends us.

God foreknew us. He predestined us to be his children and to be like Jesus. He called us. He justified us. And he glorified us in his sight.

That’s how he sees us. He sees us as our loving Father.

And the good news is, he won’t change his mind. I love Numbers 23:19.

God is not a man, that he might lie, or a son of man, that he might change his mind.

Does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?

God is determined to bless us and he will. (Numbers 23:20)

We may face his discipline at times for our sins, but he will never abandon us.

And because he never changes his mind, nothing can separate us from his love. (Romans 8:38-39)

God is with us. So let’s rejoice in our King. (Numbers 23:21)

And every day, let’s cry out, “What great things God has done for me!” (Numbers 23:23)

Our Father’s heart

In this passage, Solomon is writing to his son. But in his words, I think we see our heavenly Father’s heart toward us.

My son, if your heart is wise,
my heart will indeed rejoice.

My innermost being will celebrate
when your lips say what is right. (Proverbs 23:15-16)

I think most parents can understand those words. When we see our children acting wisely and doing what is right, it gives us joy.

In the same way, our heavenly Father’s heart rejoices when he sees us acting wisely and doing what is right.

And so he tells us,

Listen, my son, and be wise;
keep your mind on the right course. (19)

But more importantly, he tells us,

My son, give me your heart,
and let your eyes observe my ways. (26)

More than anything else, God wants our hearts. Because if he has our hearts, we will delight in following him and his ways.

Father, I give you my heart. Help me keep my mind on the right course. And let me live in a way that brings joy to your heart. I love you. In Jesus’ name amen.