September 28

Have you ever been among a group of people who were irreverent toward God? Perhaps they were taking the Lord’s name in vain. Perhaps they were joking about holy things. Perhaps they were making a believer—perhaps you—the butt of their derision. How did you feel? How did your react?

Possibly you felt uncomfortable in the presence of such jesting. Perhaps you walked away. Perhaps you went along with it because you didn’t want to appear naïve or critical of what other people take so lightly. Afterward, you felt you had let your Lord and Savior down.

It could be that you reflected upon His statement that if you denied Him before men, He would deny you before His father. That’s a steep price to pay for a moment of discomfiture before a crowd of scoffers. Did you rationalize your behavior—after all, God is bigger than that. He can take a joke! Right? We may hope He can, but His Word suggests otherwise.

In Galatians 6:7, we are told, “Be not deceived, God is not mocked; whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap.” What is taken lightly in our world of ever lower standards and ever cheapened values does not reflect the standard of a Holy God who is the same forever. His righteousness never lessens! His expectation that we will maintain holy reverence for Him is never compromised.