what more can we see of Him...?
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
Psalm 103:8
Jesus... the embodiment of God's compassion and grace... His patience... His love...
Father God couldn't bear to see His creatures... those He made in His image... suffer... die... under penalty of sin...
He sent His own Son...
to reveal His love...
walk out His compassion...
pour out His grace...
healing... loving... forgiving...
all the way to the cross...
His slowness of anger... seen in Jesus...
Hundreds... thousands... of years...
spent bearing agony... while retaining affection*...
waiting for the perfect time...
the fullness of time...
for Christ to come... and pay the price for our sin...
a price we could not bear...
But when the fullness of time had come,
God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,
to redeem those who were under the law,
so that we might receive adoption as sons.
Galatians 4:4-5 ESV
He stooped low... that we might be lifted up high...
His abounding love... revealed still...
in the awaiting return of His Son...
to set things right...
to fix them...
the way they were meant to be...
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise,
as some understand slowness. He is patient with you,
not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone
to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9
God loves the world...
not wanting any to be lost...
He sent His Son...
not to condemn... but to save...
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have
eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world
to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ..."
John 3:16-17
Compassionate...
gracious...
patient...
abounding in love...
that is God...
embodied in Jesus...
Father God... thank You for bearing with Your creation...
Teach me to appreciate... but not take for granted... Your patience...
Enable me to receive Your love and grace... with humility...
Thankful... ready... willing to share Your love with others...
*Note... This idea... these words... came from Timothy Keller... writing about our loving Father... expounding on the parable most often referred to as The Prodigal Son... in his book... The Prodigal God...
Ordinarily when our love is rejected we get angry, retaliate, and do what we can to diminish our affection for the rejecting person, so we won't hurt so much. But this father maintains affection for his son and bears the agony.
---Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God (my emphasis)This picture of God's loving patience... has stuck with me... grateful for His patience... I strive to live the same... maintaining affection... bearing the agony... with those who reject me...
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