How do you want God to treat you ?
Did you know there are three levels on which God can deal with us?
We must decide whether you want Him to treat you as a thing, an animal or one of His own children.
God had to treat David as a thing (a sponge), and His hand was heavy on him (Psalm 32 v 3,4). David was rebelling. He was not acting like God's child. Instead of confessing his sin, he was covering it. But the Bible says, "He who covers his sins will not prosper" (Prov.28:13). So God had to treat David like a thing. He put His hand on David and began to squeeze all the life out of him. David finally woke up and confessed his sin.
God also had to treat David like an animal. He warns us, "Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you" (Psalm 32 v. 9). David had acted like a horse--impulsively, he rushed ahead and sinned. And then he became stubborn like a mule and would not confess his sin. So God dealt with him as He would an animal.
But God wants to deal with us as children. "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye [on you]" (Psalm 32 v 8). He doesn't want to control us with bits and bridles, although sometimes He has to do that. Sometimes He has to send us sickness or a handicap or an accident to break our wills.
Decide today: Is God going to treat us as a thing because we are rebelling or as an animal because we are stubborn? Or will we let Him guide us as His own child?
Psalm 32:8-11
I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about. Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.
Stops & Steps 1810 26Sep2011