Never Again

Today’s Encouragement is, "Just as I swore in the time of Noah that I would never again let a flood cover the earth, so now I swear that I will never again be angry and punish you.” Isaiah 54:9 NLT
 
Never Again - 
 
God swears?  Well, yes!  Remember, after the flood, the rainbow, the eternal symbol of His promise… no more flood, never again. And here He makes another similar promise, a sworn oath, never again to be angry and punish us!  
 
My friend, if God punished people for their sins, we would all be constantly under some form of punishment.  Because we all sin (Romans 3:23), and no one is righteous (Romans 3:10). 
 
Remember the reason Christ died for us?  To pay the penalty for our sin! (Romans 3:24)
He received our punishment!  Reread today’s verse, “Never again will I punish you!”
 
Punishment and discipline are very different! Hebrews 12 describes God's discipline (the training and education). God’s discipline is that of a perfectly loving, wise father who desires that we learn and grow wiser and stronger; it is not the punishment of an angry father who wants us to ‘make us pay’ and feel shame and guilt for our wrongs.  
 
God promises He will be with us in the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23), but we are still in that Valley! Yet, as believers, He is with us!  We are not alone! 
 
Thank You, Father, that You are always with us, your chosen people, and that You have promised never again to be angry or punish us.  Thank You that Your Perfect Love is not limited to human understanding, logic, or emotion.  You, Your ways, Your thoughts are far beyond that! (Isaiah 55:8-9)
 
I am not alone 
Kari Jobe
https://youtu.be/MbbCGqK6uNc?si=yeC0xbFV3chQ0fC0