God's heart toward you and I

Wow.  Trying to describe our creator is an impossible task (outside of the Bible).

 

God is indescribable.  At our best, it is very difficult to wrap our minds around who God is - and how much He cares for us - individually.

 

I was reading some stuff from Jim Nicodem this morning - and he helps us realize the following about God - the God who is our Father.  And His heart for you and I.

 

God loves sinful people - and redeemed people.

 

God loves sinful people just as much as He loves redeemed people. 

 

Psalms 103:8 tells us that, "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love."

 

God loves sinful people, but He also has a long fuse.

 

He is, "slow to anger."

 

For this - I am grateful.  Continually throughout the Word, specifically in the Old Testament, God puts up with a great deal before He reaches His "boiling point."

 

I am personally thankful for God's patience with me.

 

Nicodem writes, "Over and over again, the Bible tells us the reason God exercises such great patience is that he's hoping we will take advantage of this extension of His grace to turn from our sin, seek his forgiveness, and begin to obey him."

 

Disclaimer:  Don't mistake God's patience with  you and I as a lack of concern about our disobedience.

 

Psalms 103:9 tells us that God, "will not accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever."

 

We are never more like God than when we accuse.  The Word says that Satan is the accuser of the brethren.

 

God never brings up the past.  He has a short memory.

 

He doesn't harbor His anger forever. 

 

In Isaiah 57:16, God says, "If I kept throwing up in  your face your past failures, if I chose to retain an angry disposition toward you because of your sin, your spirit within you would grow faint before me.  You would wither up and die."

 

Finally, in Psalms 103:10, it states, "He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities."

 

That's called grace.  That is called mercy. 

 

So, at the heart of God - He has a long fuse.  He's got a short memory.  He has thick skin.

 

I leave you with this:  As we look toward this Father's Day, know that God is a compassionate father - and He understands our propensity to sin and our frailty.

 

Psalms 103:13 tells us, "As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.  For he knows how we are formed.  He remembers that we are dust.  As for man, his days are like grass.  He flourishes like a flower of the field.  The wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more."

 

God is for you today.  Rest in that.  Rejoice in that.  Relax in that.

 

And be free.  And be forgiven.  And walk in His abundant life.

 

Just a thought for a Tuesday.