"Even When You Do Wrong, God Still Loves You"

Scripture: “The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him;” –Daniel 9:9, NIV

As a young man growing up and even as a man on today, one of the biggest pains I would feel is when I disappointed my Mama. There were several instances during my childhood where I heard the words “I’m disappointed in you” because of something I did wrong. Because of that, I would wear a frown on my face until I apologized or did what I could to make it up to her. After the “smoke cleared”, Mama would come wherever I was and let me know that though I did wrong and disappointed her, she still loved me. If truth were told, we can all identify with this type of story, whether if it was with your Mama, your daddy, your Big Mama, or Papa. No matter how bad you done wrong, they forgave you and reminded you how much they love you. Within this life we live as Christians, we do disappoint God regularly, but guess what? Despite our disappointing God, He still loves you and He still loves me! This message is conveyed within today’s text.

Today’s focal book is the book of Daniel. Daniel serves as the final book within the Major Prophets portion of the Old Testament. This book encapsulates the life of the prophet Daniel and his service to the various kings that included Cyrus, Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and Darius. Daniel also includes the journey of three of his boys, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, as they had their test in the fiery furnace because of their choice to serve God and not the idol god created (Daniel 3). Within this ninth chapter, Daniel is praying, petitioning, and fasting to God. The rationale being is because Jeremiah prophesied that Jerusalem would be desolate for seventy years (verses 1-2) and that time was coming to an end. Within this chapter, we learn how God loves us despite when we do wrong.

Daniel lets us know that God loves us despite our wrong when he says, “The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against Him”. If we “cut the grass short enough”, we have all rebelled against God in one form or another (Romans 3:23). Whether if you did not follow the orders of your pastor, that’s rebellion! Whether you decided to go one direction and God told you to go another direction, that’s rebellion! Whether you were supposed to tithe, but decided to give God half of the tithe (Malachi 3:8-10), that’s rebellion! At the end of the day, aren’t you glad this morning to serve a God that is merciful and forgiving even when we fall? Aren’t you glad to serve a God that recognizes you even when you are trying to hide from Him? Aren’t you glad that there’s a God who loves you beyond your sins and yourself? Aren’t you glad to know that He sent His Son Jesus to wash your sins away as white as snow? Aren’t you glad that He keeps you even when you don’t want to be kept? Aren’t you glad that He is God and not you? If you are happy about the God that loves you despite your wrongs towards Him, you ought to praise Him and thank Him wherever you are!

In closing, we do not like to disappoint our loved ones, whether if it is your mother, grandmother, father, grandfather, wife, children, etc. At the end of the day and despite life’s disappointments, they still loved you and God still loves you! Daniel showed us that today when he said that our God is merciful and forgiving even when we rebel. Make it your business on today to serve God continuously with excellence and remember that though you may slip, He’s right there to catch you, wipe away your tears, and prop you back up!