Thou Shalt Not Take the Lord Lightly

       Last week I wrote about how common it is for us to take others for granted. We have to be very careful in order to not take our spouse or some other close relation or friend for granted. As a pastor, I try to be careful not to take for granted those who give of themselves to our ministry together in the Lord. Now, when I have taken someone for granted, I try to set it right because, as I said before, no one likes it when this is done to them. It shows disrespect, rather than love: carelessness rather than care.

But of even greater concern to me is when I have taken the Lord for granted, or have considered lightly some aspect of His attention toward me. Just the fact that God has even thought about me is an incredibly amazing thing. But beyond that I am actually the object of His love and grace. I have no right to expect anything good from Him, yet He directs His goodness toward me every day. Everything I have is from Him. He fills my life with good things and He invites me into fellowship with Him. Christ has made these things possible and there is nothing that He is - or has done – that I should take for granted.

It is not just inappropriate to take the Lord for granted. It is downright dangerous. God will not be ignored. He will not be treated lightly. He will not be presumed upon. Presumption upon the Lord is a sin to be carefully avoided. For one, the sin of presumption is an unloving act, and we are called to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind. The sin of presumption leads us to believe and act as if God owes us something… as if we deserve something from Him. Such is not the case. The sin of presumption devalues the Lord, diminishing Him to a place of insignificance. To treat that which has greatest value as if it had no value is perilous, and simply foolish.

The person who presumes upon the Lord doesn’t do it by mistake. S/He knows better. S/He knowingly ignores the right to do or the wrong to avoid, assuming somehow that God doesn’t know or doesn’t care what s/he is doing. It is not a sin of ignorance, but more commonly involves a willful, deliberate disregard for the Lord and His Word. Presumption is when a person acts in a way that does not take the Lord seriously: acting as if His Word doesn’t apply to me, and assuming that what I do doesn’t matter to Him. We might be tempted to think, “I’m the object of His grace so I can do whatever I want to do.” This kind of presumption is, in a way, the act of a person pointing at God and saying, “I dare you.” As a follower of Jesus, saved by His grace, this is not something I ever want to do. To think, “I can do what I want… He will forgive me anyway.”… is a form of testing the Lord, something we are commanded in the Scriptures to avoid.

In sum, I encourage you to not take for granted the seriousness of taking the Lord for granted. Let us pay attention to our attitudes and thoughts with regard to the Lord. Let us enjoy His grace, but let us also avoid presuming upon it. Let us live to please Him and experience the pleasure of a pure conscience.

Psalm 139:17 (KJV) ¹⁷  How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

Romans 6:15 (NIV) ¹⁵  What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!

Psalm 19:13-14 (KJV) ¹³  Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. ¹⁴  Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

Matthew 4:7 (NIV) ⁷  Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

1 Timothy 1:5 (NIV) ⁵  The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

1 Timothy 1:19 (NIV) ¹⁹  holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith.

PRAYER:  Father, protect me and deliver me from presuming upon your grace and love. Purify my heart and fill me with the righteousness and love of Jesus Christ. Have mercy upon me for everything foolish I have run after while at the same time disregarding you. I can claim no ignorance of your Word or your will. Too often my sins have been sins of commission. Oh Lord, forgive, I pray. I am lost without your grace. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!  

Scott