God just proved Himself to me in a very real and tangible way. I have to share my rejoicing. He is a God who sees and who provides.

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. (Gal 6:7)

I always used to view this verse negatively. “Mocking God” in this verse would mean something like sowing to your own private wants and desires and expecting to reap benefits for yourself. God won’t tolerate being treated that way, and basically you get a payback of corruption.

The next verse begins with that sort of thought, but the rest of the paragraph also speaks of a way that God isn’t mocked.

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Gal 6:9-10)

You can also make a mockery out of God by growing weary in doing good and thinking that there is no benefit in obeying Jesus’ command to love your neighbor as you would love yourself.

You say to God, “You are not a rewarder of those who diligently seek You.”

Isn’t it interesting that two criticisms of what the Bible describes as “wicked” people have this viewpoint of Him:

What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him? (Job 21:15)

This implies that the right view of God is that there is profit in praying to Him. Not unjust, sordid, poor-crushing gain, but true gain.

This was also the Israelites’ problems when they wanted to keep their money to themselves and not use it for His purposes. Their error is described in a similar way to the wicked that Job spoke of.

“Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? 15 And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’” (Malachi 3:13-15)

Again, this implies that there is profit in serving Him, in repenting when you sin against Him, of being humble before Him.

So, one way to mock God is to think that there’s no profit in serving Him, that you miss out on resources you could spend on yourself. God doesn’t work that way; He is a rewarder of those who seek Him, and we should not lose heart or grow weary in doing good, but should rather look for every opportunity to do good in such a way that is motivated by the promise that God Himself — not the people we serve — will reward us.

There is gain in serving the Lord. I’ve seen it from His hands with my own eyes now, in a way I couldn’t speak to confidently before.

More, so much more to follow!