"His Portion Refused"

"But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me." (Psalms 81:11) You might think there are things that don't apply to your life, which is pretty common; but it's all here for a reason. Every single word, in one way or another, applies to each and every one of us; for we are all in the same boat, we all, like sheep, have gone astray! Actually, I think the worst place we can be, in a relationship with God, is to think we are somehow different, and to think we are somehow good; as if some of these verses don't really apply to us, but are meant for those that are sinners. Excuse me, but what is sin? You can be just as bad for not doing what's right as you can for doing what is wrong. If sin is missing the mark, then I think we all fall short of God's holiness. If you think you don't, well, let's just say that you are not alone; there was someone else that once said, "I will be like the Most High." (Isaiah 14:13-15) That said, there is another part of this picture that can't be missed, a part that is over looked and avoided, more than any other. "And Israel would none of me," is such a heartbreak for God, because it is God wanting to make us more than just His special people, it is His people not wanting Him to be their special God! In the New Living Translation, this reads, "Israel did not want me around." Sadly, this is the free will portion of what we are. God gave us free will so that we would choose to love Him; so that we would make it our choice to love Him, because He is what we need to be complete. That might not sound like it's a very good reason to make us choose to love God, but it is the reason! If you think it's not, then you have missed the whole point of the Gospel message! We are lost without His love in us; we are hopeless without having a loving relationship with Him; and we are not complete without His Spirit living within us...
"Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God's judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Just think how much worst the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God's mercy to us. For we know the one who said, "I will take revenge. I will pay them back." He also said, "The LORD will judge his own people." It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:26-31) NLT