Don't Make God Endure Your Conduct

Baptist Daily Devotional
Jul 25
2 min read

Rev. Enoch Thompson | July 25 2025 | Acts 13:13-20

KEY VERSE: “ ¹⁷The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt, with mighty power he led them out of that country, ¹⁸“he endured their conduct for about forty years in the desert,” Acts 13:17-18 (NIV)

MESSAGE:

The history of God with the chosen people of Israel is a foundation for any narrative of God’s intervention in human history to bring us to salvation. He chose the Jews in Abraham and nurtured the nation through the Law He gave to Moses. When Stephen stood before the Sanhedrin in Acts 8, he recounted that ancient story. In this chapter, we see the Apostle Paul retell the same story to point his audience to Jesus Christ as the Messiah.

The focus of our reflection today is that, as part of God’s Walk with Israel, He had to endure their conduct (verse 18).

To endure the unacceptable conduct of His redeemed people for forty years must have been tiring and sickening to God. In His greatness and power, God is still sadly affected by the misbehaviour of those He sets His love upon. We are admonished in Eph 4:30-32 (NIV), “³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³²Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Yet, because He is gracious, merciful, and long-suffering, God often endures our misconduct. But do we have to treat the gentleness of God with such insensitivity? Do we have to let His heart bleed because we take undue advantage of His mercy?

FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:

God is watching and responding to our thoughts and actions. Is God happy that we are called by His Name and live up to His expectations, or is He pained because He is enduring our wrong ways? Is God enjoying or enduring you?

PRAYER:

Lord, I am sorry for the ways in which I have subjected you to pain by my thoughts, words, actions and inactions. Please give me a heart that truly loves you and seeks to make you glad by my daily godly ways. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen.

THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.

SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 206: Song of Songs 1-2 — Love’s Desire

DAILY word study: ENDURED

The word used in Acts 13:18 for "endured" comes from etropophorēsen (ἐτροποφόρησεν), which in some manuscripts also implies “cared for” or “bore patiently.”

This unique word captures how God carried Israel through their rebellion—not by ignoring their actions, but by holding back judgment out of mercy. It wasn’t indifference. It was long-suffering love.

God’s endurance isn't passive. It’s purposeful. And it's meant to lead us to change.

Reflect on this:

Is God quietly carrying your disobedience, or joyfully walking beside your obedience?