But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. (Psalm 103:17-18)
I’ve read recently that hummingbirds at
least sometimes choose to nest near birds of prey because the hawks or eagles
either chase away or eat the animals that are likely to feast on hummingbirds
while the hawks and eagles are likely to leave the hummingbirds alone as
something too small to waste time on. No doubt, you’ve heard the aphorism that
“the squeaky wheel gets the grease.” These come to mind in connection with
today’s passage.
The hummingbird that does not nest near
an eagle cannot complain that the eagle isn’t doing its job. The wheel that
makes no noise cannot complain that it’s not getting greased. The person who walks
away from God isn’t loved less by God, but has rejected that love. They choose
not to receive it. God doesn’t say, “You can’t have.” The person says, “I don’t
want it except on my terms.”
Similarly, the person who does not seek
(or squeak) doesn’t see any connection between what happens and either God or
their own behavior. Two similar illustrations come to mind. If you stay inside,
you’re not going to experience rain. You
might think that’s a good thing, but whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing isn’t
what’s important. It’s the fact that you don’t experience it because you’re
inside.
If, however, you have a dog who comes in
from the rain, you’re likely to experience the rain second-hand. In the same
way, a parent or grandparent who fears, loves, and obeys God can bless their
children or grandchildren even if the children and grandchildren don’t believe.
And, to a lesser extent, every person you encounter in a given day is going to
either be blessed as a result of God’s influence in your life or they’re going
to be harmed by the lack or rejection thereof.
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