“Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?” (Deuteronomy 32:6)
What does God deserve from man? Scripture tells us: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Rev. 4:11) But what does God actually get from the mass of mankind? “When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful …” (Rom. 1:21) God gets no recognition for who He is, and no appreciation for what He does. Instead, men turn their backs on Him, and give to the creation what they should give to their Creator. “… And worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator.” (Rom. 1:25)
For all He is and all He does, God ought to be treated with the utmost love and respect. Even more so, because of the patience and long-suffering He demonstrates in the face of such shameful treatment. He is the best, kindest Friend one could ever have, but He is viewed as an adversary to be avoided. Man would charge God foolishly of wronging him, when the opposite is true: man wrongs God by his deep unwillingness to give God all He deserves.
The Greek philosophers called God the “Unmoved Mover” of the universe. But Paul tells us that the Greeks “knew not God.” (1 Cor. 1:21) God has made us in His own image and likeness. We have emotions because God has emotions. God can suffer. He can hurt. All of scripture describes Him as a sensitive, passionate Being who feels deeply. He is greatly moved every day by what happens on the earth. And what affects Him the most is how men treat Him. Why? Because all the evil, all the violence, all the inhumanity of man toward man stems from their failure to love and serve God.
A final reckoning has been appointed. The day is coming when all who will not give God His due will be removed from the earth. Only then will there be peace between men and nations. Until then, a suffering God demonstrates to humanity how to mercifully and patiently respond to indignity. He still gives when He is not given to. He yet loves when He is not loved. And He calls those who are His children to have the same glorious response.
“But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.” (Luke 6:35,36)