Mercy versus Wrath (Psalm 85:4-7)

Today's scripture: Psalm 85:4-7

Friday's verses seemed to speak to being already forgiven, and yet today's verses are a plea for God's mercy and for His wrath to subside.

If, as we're promised, we're forgiven when we accept the gift of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ's death, burial, resurrection, then why would we still need to pray for His mercy? I believe it's because we still struggle with our flesh, and so, even though we're forgiven, we still need to confess when we sin and seek His mercy. We still need to rejoice when we receive grace instead of the wrath we so deserve.

Our God is so very, very good to us. We fail Him so often (or perhaps I should speak only for myself). We fall back into sinful habits or ignore Him or neglect to serve Him or others. We don't love as we should, and we don't give as we could. We don't use the gifts with which we've been blessed, or we don't give Him glory when we do.

As I've written before, I honestly wonder sometimes how He puts up with us. We really are the most stubborn, willful, fickle people. Skeptics point out the wrath of God as a reason not to believe, but when I think of the God of the Bible, I only see His wrath when mankind deserved it. He always offered grace when people listened to Him and obeyed Him.

And He does the same today.

Wrath ... and Love (Psalm 90:7-8)

Today's scripture: Psalm 90:7-8

Verses like these are why some nonbelievers look at God a god of wrath rather than a god of love. They focus on verse seven without reading verse eight.

God’s wrath is for sin, not for us. He loves us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3), so much so that He sent His Son to die for us (John 3:16). However, He is holy and righteous, perfect and without sin. He cannot abide with sin, and thus His wrath consumes the unrepentant.

And rightfully so.

Dark cannot exist with darkness, and sin cannot exist with righteousness.

Just as a loving parent hates when his child falls into sin and hates what that sin does to his child, so God hates sin and what it does to His children.

The heart of our God desires for us to come to Him, repent of our sins, and commit our lives to Him. When we do, we no longer fall under His wrath. Instead, we receive His abundant love.

Wrath vs. Love (Ps. 90:7-8)

For we have been consumed by Your anger,
And by Your wrath we are terrified.
You have set our iniquities before You,
Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance.
(Psalm 90:7-8, NASB)

Verses like these are why some nonbelievers look at God a god of wrath rather than a god of love. They focus on verse seven without reading verse eight.

God’s wrath is for sin, not for us. He loves us with an everlasting love (Jer. 31:3), so much so that He sent His Son to die for us (John 3:16). But He is holy and righteous, perfect and without sin. He cannot abide with sin, and thus His wrath consumes the unrepentant. Even Christ-followers who fall into sin.

And rightfully so.

Dark cannot exist with darkness. And sin cannot exist with righteousness.

Just as a loving parent hates when his child falls into sin and hates what that sin does to his child, so God hates sin and what it does to His children.

Because He does love His children.