Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
How could a good man pray that God would send him to hell? The idea is shocking! Good men pray that God will take them to heaven! Suicide bombers believe they have found a sure path to heaven.
Yes, someone who is stupid, superficial, might carelessly express the silly thought, "Lord, send me to hell!"--someone who has no idea what hell is all about. But someone sober, thoughtful, serious, who knows what's involved in hell?
There was a wonderful man who prayed such a prayer, and God loved him for it. God said, "No, you can't go to hell, I won't let you." But God appreciated that his prayer came from the kind of love in his heart that God has in His heart.
The man? Moses! The kind of love that prompted that unique prayer? Agape! The story is the high water mark of sinners praying to God. In all human history, He had never heard such a prayer. It was proof to God (and to the heavenly universe) that sinful human beings CAN grow up unto "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13). We don't have to remain little children in comprehension! Yes, children are delightful creatures; we love them. But one whose body develops but whose mind never does, is heartbreaking; a parent can't endure greater pain. A heaven full of overgrown toddlers may seem like a great idea, but God says He wants us to "grow up" in "comprehension" (3:18, 19).
Moses did "grow up" in "comprehending" the heart of God. It meant tears, but God sheds tears, too. And it comforted God to find a man on earth who at least was beginning to understand Him! Israel had committed the corporate sin of sins--they had broken their solemn promise they made to God and had worshipped a golden calf. It meant they were turning their backs on God's plan of salvation and were deliberately going back into the sex orgy "worship" that was ruining the pagan world. And God said, "Enough! I can't forgive them!" That's when Moses stepped in and prayed his strange prayer. More tomorrow.
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: May 29, 2001.Copyright © 2010 by Robert J. Wieland.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
------------------------------
Please forward these messages to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. The "Dial Daily Bread" Web site resides at: http://1888message.org/
To subscribe send an e-mail message with "subscribe" in the body of the message to: dailybread@1888message.org
------------------------------
Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.
How could a good man pray that God would send him to hell? The idea is shocking! Good men pray that God will take them to heaven! Suicide bombers believe they have found a sure path to heaven.
Yes, someone who is stupid, superficial, might carelessly express the silly thought, "Lord, send me to hell!"--someone who has no idea what hell is all about. But someone sober, thoughtful, serious, who knows what's involved in hell?
There was a wonderful man who prayed such a prayer, and God loved him for it. God said, "No, you can't go to hell, I won't let you." But God appreciated that his prayer came from the kind of love in his heart that God has in His heart.
The man? Moses! The kind of love that prompted that unique prayer? Agape! The story is the high water mark of sinners praying to God. In all human history, He had never heard such a prayer. It was proof to God (and to the heavenly universe) that sinful human beings CAN grow up unto "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13). We don't have to remain little children in comprehension! Yes, children are delightful creatures; we love them. But one whose body develops but whose mind never does, is heartbreaking; a parent can't endure greater pain. A heaven full of overgrown toddlers may seem like a great idea, but God says He wants us to "grow up" in "comprehension" (3:18, 19).
Moses did "grow up" in "comprehending" the heart of God. It meant tears, but God sheds tears, too. And it comforted God to find a man on earth who at least was beginning to understand Him! Israel had committed the corporate sin of sins--they had broken their solemn promise they made to God and had worshipped a golden calf. It meant they were turning their backs on God's plan of salvation and were deliberately going back into the sex orgy "worship" that was ruining the pagan world. And God said, "Enough! I can't forgive them!" That's when Moses stepped in and prayed his strange prayer. More tomorrow.
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: May 29, 2001.Copyright © 2010 by Robert J. Wieland.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
------------------------------
Please forward these messages to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. The "Dial Daily Bread" Web site resides at: http://1888message.org/
To subscribe send an e-mail message with "subscribe" in the body of the message to: dailybread@1888message.org
------------------------------
Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.
