Psalm 86:14-17…“But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” vs.15
Sometimes it’s hard to know how we could get so messed up in the way we think about God. Admittedly there are some verses in our scriptures that can be misleading or easily misinterpreted, but for the most part the testimony of the prophets and of Jesus echoes the teaching of this anonymous psalmist. Troubled and paranoid as he may have been, he had total confidence in the goodness of the Lord.
This is total good news–in fact, probably the best news ever. And it’s not just a blessing to those who are nearing the end of life, this is what we need to hear in every stage of our journey. And it’s especially good to hear at those times when we’ve wandered from the Way and our inner voices are taking pot shots at us. When we’re feeling discouraged or guilty about what has been happening, there’s nothing better than knowing that the real God has infinite patience. Forgiveness and fresh starts are right up God’s alley and we are never abandoned, even when we’ve screwed up royally!
In fact, when we finally decide to stop messing around and get back on track again, it never hurts to adopt a bit of God’s nature in our relationships with family and friends. They would probably appreciate a little steadfast love and mercy from us too. A little bit of grace can go a long, long way!
Thought for the Day: What happens when I begin to become angry?
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