Why Does God Put Up With Us?


Why Does God Put Up With Us?
Marsha Deveaux Johnson, http://hepzibah40.blogspot.com Living Joy Ministries, Inc.

Recently after prayer and meditation on God’s word, I asked God “Why does He put up with us (man)? When we view current world situations and even the Body of Christ, it becomes very clear that many have fallen so very short of God’s will and purpose.  Sin, disobedience, doubt, fear, hatred, mockery, you name it and man is practicing it.  So then why does Elohim, Creator of the universe allow this renegade behavior from man?

It does not always happen that I get an immediate answer from God when I ask, but this time I did.  He took me to one of the most important verses in the Bible.  It is Genesis 1:26 that speaks of man being created in His (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) image and likeness.  This scripture embodies the plan and purpose of man and unlocks the key to the victory of Believers.  God said to me that we were indeed created in His image and likeness.  He knows what His creation is capable of and can do.  He views us as capable of walking, living, and functioning in His image and likeness.  Not only does He see us this way, He made provision for us to function in His image and likeness by sending Jesus to die for the eradication of sin in our lives. 

Adam disobeyed God and brought a sin curse on all mankind.  Jesus died to eradicate the inherited sin of Adam and the committed sins of every human being.  Adam brought the CURSE and Jesus brought the CURE.  As I was writing this piece, I noticed that if you take the letter S out of the word CURSE, it becomes the word CURE.  What a divine revelation!  Let’s just say S represents SIN and when sin is gone, the CURE (Jesus Christ) has come! 

God also spoke to me about every man being just one step away from Him regardless of circumstances or situations in their lives. We have but to reach deep into our human spirit and there He is. It doesn’t matter how well you know Him, or how long you have walked in His ways, He loves you and meets you right where you are.  Just step into your spirit and He appears. (Selah)
Five Reasons Why God Puts Up With Us
·         God puts up with us because He has a covenant with us.  In the Old Testament God chose the nation of Israel to issue to them the Abrahamic covenant.  This offered them  physical protection, protection from enemies, protection from disease/illness, and blessings.  This covenant with Israel was a “type” or “shadow” of the New Covenant to come.  This covenant was also broken by His chosen people.  In the New Testament, Jesus, God’s Son, the third Person of the Trinity comes to earth and dies to fulfill and establish the New Covenant.  This was purchased with His blood (Hebrews 10:9-18).

·         God puts up with us because when we receive Jesus we are His sons and joint-heirs with Christ.  He says in His word (1st John 3:2) “Beloved, now are ye the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be;  but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”  In earthly time we are “in the process” of conforming to His image and likeness.  In eternity, we are already complete.
·         God puts up with us because we are His “righteousness”.  He sent Jesus to die for our sins.  We have been “declared righteous” when we accept the blood of Christ in eradication of our sins (2nd Corinthians 5:21). We can then walk and live in His image and likeness.

·         God puts up with us because He sees the end from the beginning.  Isaiah 46:10 “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.”  He knows that our completed state (end) is far from our present situation. 

·         God puts up with us because Jesus is our Intercessor, seated at the right hand of God, with whom we are joint heirs (Romans 8:17). Hebrews 7:25, says, “Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intersession for them.”  Jesus is our Mediator when He brings us to the Father for salvation.  But as a Believer, He becomes our Intercessor.

Why is Jesus our Intercessor? 
First, because when we receive Jesus as Savior we are instantly changed only in our spirit (Inner man, part that communes with God).  Our soul, which consists of our mind, will, and emotions is not changed.  Our bodies are not changed, but remain subject to our soul (mind will, emotions).  There must be a renewing of the mind to conform to the image of Christ (Romans 12:2).  The mind is renewed by reading, studying, meditating, and doing the word of God.  We walk in the image and likeness of God when our minds are renewed with the word of God.   That same word must be lived out in our body (flesh).  We walk and live in God’s image and likeness when we practice His word.

Secondly, Satan attacks our walk with God to stop or hinder our growth in Jesus Christ.  1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” We must know and use our authority, entitlements, and weapons to walk in the image and likeness of God (Luke 22:31-32).

Always remember that you are created in the image and likeness of God.  He created you in His image and likeness and made provision for you to walk in His image and likeness.  You see yourself and others in the realm of time.  God sits in eternity with the finished product of the lives of all He created. He is going to stick with you, put up with you, and love you because you are His. He sees you complete in Him, in His image, in His likeness, His finished product, fit for eternity!  

Remember the word CURSE minus the S (Sin) is the word CURE (Jesus Christ)!

“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”
1st Corinthians 15:22


Why "Hepzibah in Training?"

More than twenty five years ago I stood in a powerful praise and worship service. As I entered into worship weeping in the presence of the King, I heard the voice of Jesus in my spirit. He called me two names. The first name was Hephzibah and the second was Beulah. I was stunned and immediately sat down on the bench to ponder these two names. Neither of these names appeared flattering to me.



I left church and called my sister, a mighty warrior of God, and told her that God had called me two names. Her reply was “If God called me names; I needed to find out what they meant.” I searched scripture and found that the name Hephzibah means, “The Lord delights in her” and that Beulah meant, “Thy land is married (committed, spoken for, etc). Needless to say, I was delighted in the significance of these two names that my Savior has bestowed upon me. My goal and treasure in life is to fulfill the plan for my life on this side of Eternity and to train for the other side of Eternity.



I offer you the revelations, thoughts, and meditations that God imparts to me in this blog “Hepzibah In Training”.



I thank you for your comments.

Followers