For You Lord are kind and ready to forgive, abounding in faithful love to anyone who calls on You.
Psalm 86:5
We know God loves. We hear that He forgives, but this statement is more shocking than we want to admit. kind - ready to forgive - abounding in faithful love - to anyone who calls
This is a recurring description of God that traces back to Exodus.
Let's look at why that is so important.
REWIND -
Exodus - miracles - rescue
Some of the most awesome stories in the Old Testament, foundations of the faith of Israel.
But - we know the story continues with grumbling, confusion, and idolatry.
Moses is on the mountain talking to God, hearing from God. (Exodus 19-32)
God gives him the Ten Commandments and all the instructions the people need to begin a relationship with Him. He's establishing a covenant. He has rescued them for a purpose.
But -
The people get impatient and confused. They trade the real, loving, rescuing God for a god they can see. A god they don't have to wait for. A god they can control.
Heartbreaking.
Complete betrayal.
Idolatry.
Moses comes down - leaving the presence of God - working on behalf of these people - and sees the people literally partying and flaunting their sin.
He throws the tablets that God inscribed and shatters the Commandments.
Let's get real. It's over. Any relationship or agreement would be dissolved at this point.
It's complete rejection to the highest degree.
But - God is not done.
Then, in spite of it all-
Exodus 34:1-10
The Lord said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai. Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain. 3No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain.”
4So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the Lord had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. 5Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. 6And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”
8Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. 9“Lord,” he said, “if I have found favor in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance.”
10Then the Lord said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you.
This statement (Exodus 34:6-7) of God's forgiveness and abounding love and faithfulness is repeated throughout Scripture, because God said it about Himself.
It is God's own description of who He is to us.
He is just and judges, but His forgiveness is multiplied beyond the judgment.
His love abounds!
That is God's statement to an uncommitted, sinful people.
We are no better than that crowd, circling a golden statue.
No better.
We replace God with something we can see. something we can control.
We don't understand Him. We get impatient.
So, we make up something we understand.
The LORD is our God.
The one and only.
And He is so kind. so forgiving. and so abounding in love -
that He gave His only Son
that whoever would believe
would have eternal life.
Who would do that?
Only my God. My Jesus.
He told us who He is and He has shown us who He is.
For You Lord are kind and ready to forgive, abounding in faithful love to anyone who calls on You.
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