You Are a Gracious and Compassionate God

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You Are a Gracious and Compassionate God

God teaches us  about Himself  in His word.    Chapter 9  of the book of Nehemiah  teaches us a lot  about God’s dealings with Israel  as the Israelites confess  and worship  the LORD their God.    In that chapter  they give a general overview  of the stubborn sinfulness  of the Israelites  and what God did  to help them get back  on the right track.    Nehemiah 9:28-31 records,

And many times  You rescued them  according to Your compassion,  and admonished them  in order to turn them back  to Your law.     Yet they acted arrogantly  and did not listen  to Your commandments  but sinned  against Your ordinances,    by which if a man observes them  he shall live.     And they turned a stubborn shoulder  and stiffened their neck,  and would not listen.

However,  You bore with them  for many years,  and admonished them  by Your Spirit  through Your prophets,  yet  they would not give ear.     Therefore  You gave them  into the hand  of the peoples  of the lands.

Nevertheless,  in Your great compassion  You did not make an end  of them  or forsake them,  for You are a gracious  and compassionate God.

God has not forsaken us  with all our sins  either  —  not yet anyway.     God is still the same patiently gracious  and compassionate God  He has always been.

So,  what are we going  to do about it?     Should we still  belligerently remain  in our sins,  vainly imagining  that since the LORD has not judged us yet,  He does not really care  what we do  in this life?

God certainly is gracious  and compassionate  to a degree  we cannot even fathom.    His forgiveness  is overflowing with love and kindness  towards us.     It is exactly because  God’s grace and compassion  towards us  is so marvelous,  that we should turn  to Him  in repentance  and accept His free gift  of forgiveness  with humble hearts.

Who are we  to be arrogantly disobedient  to our ultimate Judge  over all?     What is it  that makes us think  we can defy our holy Creator  and get away with it?     Has God been patient  with us  so long  that our hearts are hardened?     Don’t we have any desire  for obedience?

In all seriousness,  we need to examine ourselves  and take a long,  hard look  at everything  in our hearts,  minds,  and souls.     We will never be able  to work our way  to heaven  through our supposed  good works.    But the question is…….

Do we have the faith it takes  to be obedient  to the LORD God Almighty?

Our lives are  in the balance  right now.     We can confess our sins  and repent of them  (That means  knock it off.),  in order to receive full forgiveness  —  or  —  we can continue  in our stubborn,  sinful ways  and condemn ourselves  in the end.

Since God’s grace  and compassion  are so tenderly loving  towards us  and our sinful predicament,  now would be a good time  to experience  His love  by humbly repenting.

As we let our souls be flooded  with God’s love  and forgiveness,  we say,  “Hallelujah!     Lord,  thank You so much  for setting us free  from the bonds  of sin.     Never let us get  so entrapped  again.     Protect us  by Your mercy.”

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and God of gods

 

Pray for our country.

 

This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

 

The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
Psalm 18:30

 

Sing for joy in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming  to the upright.
Psalm 33:1

 

How blessed are those  who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4

 

Just as a father has compassion  on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13

 

Oh give thanks to the LORD,  for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1

 

Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3

 

Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that
I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12

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