Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone. Hosea 4:17
If God leaves a person alone, there will be danger. First, the person will have to contend with the enemy of his soul, the devil, alone. Next, the person will be left to himself, taking away all restraint. Finally, when God leaves a person alone, the person is left to the mercy of others.
When any of these three happens, we are cooked. This is what the devil wants to happen. We need God to protect us from the devil, ourselves, and others. But when, like Israel, we love other gods, God will have no choice but to leave us alone. This way, we will learn the value of having God actively present in our lives. Samson learnt the bitter lesson of the consequence of having God leave him alone. We can be so set in our own ways and rebellion that God just leaves us to ourselves. In the true sense of it, it is not that God abandoned us, but rather, that we pushed Him out of our lives by our persistent rebellion not counting Him worthy to order the course of our lives. Danger!
But someone may ask, didn't God promise not to leave us nor forsake us? Yes, He did, but this should not be mistaken for leaving us to ourselves. When we constantly desire what God has expressly forbidden in His word, He will have no option but to leave us to ourselves. This is like walking in the permissive will of God. There's danger here. The safest place to be in is the perfect will of God. This is where God wants us to be in, and He is actively present in His perfect will to do us good. Have you, by persistent rebellion against the will of God, caused Him to leave you to yourself? Repent quickly when there's time because it is a fearful thing to be left to yourself.
Toni
If God leaves a person alone, there will be danger. First, the person will have to contend with the enemy of his soul, the devil, alone. Next, the person will be left to himself, taking away all restraint. Finally, when God leaves a person alone, the person is left to the mercy of others.
When any of these three happens, we are cooked. This is what the devil wants to happen. We need God to protect us from the devil, ourselves, and others. But when, like Israel, we love other gods, God will have no choice but to leave us alone. This way, we will learn the value of having God actively present in our lives. Samson learnt the bitter lesson of the consequence of having God leave him alone. We can be so set in our own ways and rebellion that God just leaves us to ourselves. In the true sense of it, it is not that God abandoned us, but rather, that we pushed Him out of our lives by our persistent rebellion not counting Him worthy to order the course of our lives. Danger!
But someone may ask, didn't God promise not to leave us nor forsake us? Yes, He did, but this should not be mistaken for leaving us to ourselves. When we constantly desire what God has expressly forbidden in His word, He will have no option but to leave us to ourselves. This is like walking in the permissive will of God. There's danger here. The safest place to be in is the perfect will of God. This is where God wants us to be in, and He is actively present in His perfect will to do us good. Have you, by persistent rebellion against the will of God, caused Him to leave you to yourself? Repent quickly when there's time because it is a fearful thing to be left to yourself.
Toni
