Those who don't want can't be helped!

God throws open His salvation to all the world as a free gift which we don't have to do anything to earn. Yet very few want to be saved. Many are happy to continue in sin, maybe because of the pleasure it gives or because they are unaware of the serious consequences they will have to face in the future. But God's heart is sad because He has made things as easy as possible for people, but yet people would rather continue in sin. The question that bothers Him, as in the case of Israel, is what else He could have done for them (Is.5:4).

Many seem to be happy to receive 'grace' which they misunderstand to be God covering their sins, with them having to only confess their sins and keep receiving forgiveness, as long as they can continue to live as they wish (Ju.4). Nobody has told them that apart from forgiving their sins, grace is meant to empower them to overcome sin (Ti.2:11,12). Imagine the frustration of God when He sees people who have come near to Him but who still continue in sin, mistakenly praising the grace of God for cleansing them and making them children of God! They are unable to see the contradiction between their claiming to be children of God following the footsteps of Jesus and not even making any serious attempt to follow Him (1Jn.2:6).

Sometimes we see someone else in need and try to help him, only to find that he claims he doesn't have any problems and he is not looking for any help at all! Then we understand that even if we are in a position to help, we cannot help those who don't want to be helped. Sometimes others may even think that we are their enemies, seeking to judge and find fault with them.

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (Mt.7:7). Some people take this to be an unconditional promise from God to give them whatever they ask for. But anyone who tries to receive like that from God will soon find out that God does not give us all that we ask for. In fact, He would be very foolish if He did so! He has wisdom not to give us something we ask for if that is not going to be good for us! But we can learn a principle from this. If we need something, we must learn to ask God. God must see that we recognise our need and realise our dependence on Him. Only then can we develop a relationship with Him. God doesn't want to be a source of supply for us, but to have a relationship with us as our Father. When we have that relationship we learn to talk to Him about what we want, what He thinks about it, and if He has anything better in plan for us. Many people are not thinking of such a relationship with Him but only as Provider and Protector. That may be the reason why they are not receiving from Him even what He has promised.

After describing the new covenant which God was planning to make, He says that He will not give it automatically but only when they ask for it (Ez.36:37). He doesn't want to give His blessings to those who will not value it.