Dear Lighthouse,

 

“The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining 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 fathers to the third and fourth generation.” Exodus 34:6-7

 

            This week in Sunday School we talked about making God real to yourself and others.  When God revealed Himself to Moses in the passage above and spoke His Name, revealed His Glory and described His character, God became real to Moses.  God told us a lot about Himself in the passage above.  He is LORD.  Notice that LORD is in all caps.  This is a special way of indicating that God is God and not just another Lord or boss of this world.  He is the I AM, the One and Only God.  Yet, with all this authority, God is good.  He is compassionate, gracious, slow anger, full of love and faithfulness and forgiveness.  It is He who started the Heavens above and the Earth below and still keeps our hearts beating within.  God is good and His goodness is real and has stood the test of time. 

Many today would like to leave God right there - a good old god that wants everyone to love him for being a good guy.  But, if you notice, God goes on and reveals one more thing about Himself - He is holy.  Holy means that He is set apart from sin and thus set apart from sinful Man.  God cannot sin and cannot coexist with sin.  So, those guilty of sin He destroys?  No, read carefully, the guilty He punishes.  Now, punishment is not a “fun” topic nor a politically correct one at times.  But the punishment of God is part of His grace.  Though it sounds odd, punishment is good for the sinner.  Just as pain can quickly save the flesh from destruction, as a child touching a hot stove can attest, so God’s punishment can keep you from eternal isolation from a holy God - that is eternal death.  God works His love for us in that He works in our lives and our world to extinguish the sin that creeps up.  This may take many generations to root out some sin, but God is patient and kind and continues to prune it away.  Once again, God is good.  So good, in fact, that He gave up His own Son to pay the debt we never could either by punishment or sacrifice.  Jesus takes away the death we deserve as rebels against a holy God and leaves behind only the loving discipline of God that continues to guide us.

Today some accuse God of being cruel.  Today some accuse God of being irrelevant.  Today some accuse God of being a fantasy.  My question is what do you think of God?  Is God real to you?  Is He convenient or is He King?  Is He all gain and no pain?  Is He good or is He God?  I know most of you reading this are Christians.  You have tasted that the LORD is good and have surrendered your sin to Him and been adopted into His family and Kingdom.  But, you and I both know people who have misconceptions of God.  If God is real to you, find ways to make Him real, relevant, alive and loving to your friends, family and co-workers.  You and they will be blessed for it.