He does not treat us as our sins deserve (Psalm 103:10).

Have you ever had problems with customer service?  You order something online, but when it doesn’t show up you can’t get a response to your emails.  You make an expensive purchase, but when a defect reveals itself you have problems with the warranty. 

Bad customer service is a deal breaker for me.  There aren’t many times when a great sale price is worth the risk of a no return policy.  I don’t have the skills to replace a faulty sensor in my car or replace a defective zipper in my clothing.  When I spend money on a product, I expect the seller to back his merchandise.

A lot of people get mad at God because they don’t like His customer service.  They pray for health, but the cancer doesn’t go away.  They go to church regularly, but their marriage still ends in divorce.  They read the Bible every day, but bullies keep picking on them.  They start to grumble about God’s care for them.

The problem is that our attitude is wrong.  God doesn’t owe us anything.  We did not purchase our life from Him.  We did not pay Him for a spouse.  He does not view our Sunday morning offerings as a bribe to keep us safe.  We often approach God as if we are customers and He is a service provider.  This attitude turns our relationship with God upside down.  God is our king; He made the universe and everything in it.  As king, He sets the standards for our conduct—love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. 

When it comes to being kind, generous and loving, we do a pretty haphazard job.  We don’t begin to serve the LORD with the kind of devotion that He deserves.  We don’t warrant any of the kindness that He shows us.  Yet amazingly, God sent His Son to serve us anyway—He said, the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).  Jesus offered His life on the cross to erase the guilt of our selfish and foolish behavior.  Thanks to Him, your future happiness is guaranteed—eternity in His perfect kingdom.

If you are tempted to complain that God isn’t treating you fairly, you’re right—He has been much nicer to you than you deserve!