Why have you despised
the word of the Lord, to
do what is evil in his sight?
To do what is evil, we must indeed reject (despise) God's word.
In fact, this is one of three primary reasons that people turn away from God, turning so far as to say they're atheists.
First, people reject God because they want to do something that they know that God's law forbids. But they find they can't live with this divide in their souls -- believing one way, acting another. They must change their beliefs or their behaviors. Too many change their beliefs.
Indeed, if your teen ever comes to you and says, I don't believe in God anymore, I advise parent to not immediately look at their beliefs, but to look at their behaviors. Very often - and very sadly - they're trying to find a way to justify new actions. And sin is so seductive that it's often easier to change your beliefs than your behaviors. "Why have you [rejected] the word of the Lord, to do what is [tempting] in his sight?" asks today's verse.
A second reason that people abandon the faith is that they've been hurt by life. They've had losses. They've suffered betrayals and abuse. Thus, they start crying, "How could a good God allow this to happen?"
Now, we all have moments like this!
The shock of grief, pain of trauma, and moments of questioning doubt are not signs of unbelief!
Nevertheless ... we must be on guard against those feelings lingering like a slowly growing cancer. If we keep nurturing (fermenting) such pain, griefs, doubts, and betrayals - and if we don't seek to return to God and church and a truthful theology which explains the problem of evil - we're likely to turn from God to cynicism, doubt, and despair.
The final primary reason that people turn away from God is that they've been misled. They've been taught lies. They've been seduced by worldly values.
A parent's primary responsibility is not to fill their children's calendar with the right classes, the right activities, the right sports, and the right teams. The parent's primary goal is not to make our kids "well-rounded" and to get them into the right college. Rather, it is to ground their lives on God's truth. Why? Because they will be seduced. They will be. The primary question in life is: Will they stand or will they fall? Too many nowadays are falling. Don't let your children be pawns. Your primary responsibility is to ground their lives on God's truth.
In Christ's Love,
a guy who sees fragile faith
and remarkably resilient faith
and prays for you and your kids
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