Do you remember God’s threat to the Israelites?

He says that if they don’t drive out the inhabitants of the land, then He will do to the Israelites what He intended to do to those in the land. What was that? He intended for them to be driven out.

If the Israelites don’t drive the inhabitants out, they themselves will be driven from the land. And, of course, that’s what happens. They lose their Land of Promise. They were scattered all over the world. The light of salvation for the Jews was shared with the Gentiles.

Then God did a miracle and brought the Jews back to Israel. The desolate land that people thought could grow nothing started growing vineyards again.

There’s an Easy Peasy family that’s part of those who moved to Israel to help the farmers there grow crops again. They bring out volunteers from the American church each year to help with the harvest. Cool, huh?

Why does God do what He does? He sent them out to bring them back in. He doesn’t act in vengeance and hatred. He only acts in love. He is love. He is unchanging. He never acts out of character.

While the Bible assures us that no created thing can separate us from God’s love and no one can snatch us out of God’s hand, we also know God is not a rapist. He doesn’t force His love on anyone. He leaves it to us to accept or reject His love. Sin is not a created thing; it can separate us from God.

We have the choice to walk away like the prodigal son, but God remains the loving Father with open arms ready to receive us back.

Paul tells the church to kick out the sinner. It’s not to punish them and give them what they deserve. It’s so that they will be sad and repent and come back.

God tears down to build up, not to destroy. Satan destroys. God breathes new life.

We need to rejoice in the hard times. God’s in the process of working His miracle ways in our lives. He’s working out His plan of salvation in us.

Remember, God’s wrath is only ever for the non-believer. But tribulation is only ever for the believer.

It’s with many tribulations we enter the kingdom because God is infinitely good.