Are You Angry At God? – The Saturday Morning Post
Today’s Passage – Mark 14 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 111 – 115; Proverbs 23)
Read the “1023 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.” (Mark14:3-11)
Good morning. How in the world are you? I have two thoughts that may be a help to you today. In today’s reading we find the story of the woman with the alabaster box of spikenard: a very expensive ointment. And with the actions of Judas, this passage caused me to ask the question, “Have I ever been angry at God?”
How about you? When things don’t go your way, or the way you perceive they should go, do you blame God? Many people do. Cain was angry with God because He would not accept his offering. During the great tribulation, during the seven years, rather than repent, many will turn and shake their fists at God. Here in this passage we have Judas. John chapter 12 gives us a little glimpse into where his heart was at…
“Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.” (John 12:4-6)
So Judas was angry with God. What happens next? Judas goes to the chief priests to betray Jesus. God’s Word tells us to be angry, and sin not…
“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath…” (Ephesians 4:26)
Sin has a price. Judas was told by Jesus what the price would be in verse 21 of Mark 14…
“The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.” (Mark 14:21)
And you know the rest of the story: Judas betrayed Jesus anyway, and ended up hanging himself. The Bible tells us that Judas went to his own place. Is that the hottest part of Hell? I don’t know, but it all started with being angry at God. We all need to ask ourselves that question: “Am I angry at God?”
Remember…
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17)
That leads me to my second thought…
I had a friend who went home to be with the LORD 11 years ago. Bob was having heart problems. And we all have an appointed time. Bob’s time had come. And here is the connection…
God had given this alabaster box of priceless ointment for us to hold onto for a while. The time had arrived to give it back: to pour it out and anoint the Saviour’s head and feet. Because of God’s grace, because of Jesus coming and dying on the cross and shedding His precious blood to pay for Bob’s sins, he is in Heaven today. One day you will meet him if you’re saved. God’s Word tells us that we are all sinners…
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one…” (Romans 3:10)
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23)
and that…
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
The Bible makes it simple. In 1John chapter 5, the Bible says…
“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” (1John5:12-13)
All you need do to receive Jesus for your own is to call on his name.
Romans 10 says…
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
You can’t get to Heaven on your own. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us…
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
To God, love is an action word. Love was an action word to Bob also. Because of God’s action, Bob has a home in Heaven…
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17)
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)
Peace.
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