Do We Presume on the Riches of God?

Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? (Rom 2:4)

Take a moment and consider this verse from Romans 2. How do you view God's kindness, his richness and his patience?

If you are anything like me, the honest answer is that I often view God's kindness, richness and patience (not to mention his grace and mercy) are perks of membership in this club called Christianity. Sure, God saved me  by his grace alone. Sure, it was only in the cross of Christ that my sins were forgiven. Sure, it is only by laying a hold of these realities by faith (which itself is a gracious gift) does any of this matter to me personally.

But then what? How do I interact with God today, believing and trusting in all that I just wrote? What is my reaction to the kindness of God when he gives me a warm, dry, safe house this morning? What is my attitude toward God when he endures another routine prayer at breakfast, lunch or dinner? How do I view God when I open my Bible in freedom and read it my own language and can actually begin to grasp what He is trying to say? Gratitude? Humility? Adoration? Worship? Child-like incredulity?

If you are like me, it takes a Spirit-driven reminder to get back to these appropriate responses to the riches of God in my life. As I survey my life, I see many more examples of presumption, of expectation (not the good kind) and of neglect. My heart continues to drift back to a self-focus and so often, when I am not intentionally thinking about God and Christ and the Spirit, my mind, by default returns to a focus on me.

I want to close with an awesome thing for you to consider. Even as our focus moves constantly from God and to ourselves, God is continuing to pour out his riches in kindness and patience. He is always after our good and He is sending us thousands of reminders of his awesome love and power and grace. The question is: will we see them? And will we allow the Spirit to change our presumption to praise?

I now send forth this post with a deep sense of its many defects; but with an earnest prayer that it may do some good. (JC Ryle)

To God Alone be the Glory