Good God
The LORD is loving and merciful,
slow to become angry and full of constant love.
He is good to everyone
and has compassion on all he made. (verses 8,9)
Read Psalm 145:8-14
A young student recently complained to me that he thought God wasn’t pulling his weight in the world. Like a lot of people he had a sneaking suspicion that God didn’t care, had absconded from his position of responsibility, was a bit lazy, had got things all messed up, was callous and even sadistic. Of course, he failed to recognise the true cause of earthly suffering and unhappiness: the rebellion of humankind against God. While attributing guilt to God, he was blind to his own.
The psalm writer sees things differently. He celebrates how God, in spite of human rebellion, never gave up on his creation. In fact, God is patient with human frailty and is committed to a plan for saving it. He is a God of love and compassion, seeking to be reconciled to a fallen world. We can trust in his constant commitment to all of us. His heart bleeds for us. On our behalf he became one of us and died to save us. God is good.
Dear God, forgive me my impertinence and unbelief. Thank you for the love you are so willing to share with me. Amen.
by Richard Hauser, in ‘Living Water for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2001)
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