Each and everyday, we face insurmountable odds, tragedy, joys, and sorrows. The roller coaster of life can sometimes paint for us a tainted viewpoint when it comes to the Master. God has promised, but situations scream loudly that are contrary. Is the Lord fickle in His plan for our lives? Absoultely not! A wise man once said, "He allows in His sovereignty what He could prevent with His power." It is so important that we don't allow anyone or any situation to taint the character of Jesus in our hearts. This can be done unknowingly just through the harshness that life allows. We must have it settled that He is the Lord and He changes not! Who is this God that we serve? My pastor wrote and amazing collection of studies on God's characteristics, The God Manual, to answer this question. We find how precious our Lord is in His Word and should allow the word of God to settle and strengthen our hearts.
The characteristics of God are stedfast (Hebrews 6:19) and one of the most precious of them all is His mercy. It has been said that you will view our Heavenly Father in the light of your own relationship with your earthly parents. For some of us we have experienced love and nuturing, yet for others this leaves them with a bitter outlook on authority and a skewed understanding of the Lord. God is not just waiting to catch you with your hand in the cookie jar to punish you, but rather is the Father on the road waiting to embrace you and welcome into His home as a son. We need to have an answer for the world when describing our God and the answer is in His word.
When Moses asked desparately to see the Lord, The Lord announced His presence by sharing His attributes, "The Lord, The Lord God , merciful, and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth (Ex. 34:6)." The scriptures do present the severity of God, but "His anger endureth but a moment; in His favor is life: weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning (Ps.30:5)." Our hearts gain strength in the understanding that our God that is "shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments (Ex. 20:6)."
Even when we fall, the Lord is merciful! David found this truth to be a sure fact, "great mercy (1 King 3:6)." was shown unto him. We know that David was not the most righteous of all the Bible figures, but found, " But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart will rejoice in His salvation (Ps. 13:5)." Let us trust in the character of our God and in His great mercy!
"Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy (Ps.33:18)."
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