Isaiah 1:9

“Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.”

Matthew 24:22

“And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.”

Psalms 127:1

“Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”

The mercies of God is unfathomable.

The book Lamentations 3:22-23, tells us that his mercies are renewed every morning. Isaiah 1:11-13 tells us that God is feed up with our vain attempts to placate him by a performance that is played out before men. However, in our heart we are far from him.

For this reason God has in place “exceptions” that are important for our survival. God understands our human limitations, our propensity to fall into temptations, and sin. Even though he understands these things, he does not excuse them. In fact, God expects his people to over come by faith and to excel. To this end he has given us tools to help. In addition to these new daily mercies.

God understands our challenges:

⁃ He has left us a remnant. To be witnesses, to pray, and to serve.

⁃ He has shortened the days – because given to much time, even the very elect would be lost.

⁃ He builds and he keeps watch. He requires us to be lead by him in whatever he has given us to accomplish for him. Doing things on our own leads to destruction.

The times we live in are very distracting from every angle. Life as we once new it is over. The only way forward is to walk by faith, live by faith, and to trust God. We are told to study the word of God. To hide it in our hearts. We are told that the Spirit of God will bring it back to your remembrance at the appropriate time.

There are so many people going through the motions, but their hearts are not involved. Because of the state of the world many have lost faith in God. Mostly because they did not have a personal relationship with God in the first place. But also because many people have so poorly portrayed the life of a Christian (a follower of Christ) that they want to label us all as hypocrites.

However, this is an excuse. Yes, our lives are lived in front of the world, but when our time is over, we must stand before God alone to give an account of this life. At this point we cannot blame the actions of others. We can only speak for our own. No excuses.

This brings us back to God’s exceptions and his mercies.

God is all knowing. But he asks (Isaiah 1:11-13), what is the purpose of your multiple sacrifices? Why are you before me? He asks because he wants you to consider and search yourself for the answer. He does not want any more of our vain offerings. If you are not sincere in your heart to him, than stop. He knows the truth, we are only fooling ourselves.

We are living in the last days. It is time to get it together before it is everlasting too late. To this end, take the time and consider the questions that God posed in Isaiah. Why are you doing what you are doing? Is God pleased with your offering?

It is a new day with new mercies. Repent, and do better, be better. In the end, we all want to be accepted of God.

Thank God for “except.”