Hi
If you were raised during or before the eighties, do you remember, “The Look”? It was leveled at you by your parents (will actually your mother) when you were at church or in public and your behavior needed a serious upgrade?
The Look carried such authority and promise … “Try this once again and watch it later;” or “You’d better stop Now or else!”. It usually worked indicated, since those of us who were raised with The Look KNEW that it wasn’t an idle promise.
Don’t you wish sometimes that God had The Look? Kind of a last warning before ‘you pay for roast and boil’ (the penalty for our actions was called payment for roast and boil). Maybe if we could recognize God’s Look; we would be more inclined towards obedience.
Maybe not.
Here’s today’s Holy Nougat™
So [Jonah] complained to the LORD about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, LORD? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people.” (Jonah 4:2)
Now That right there would have been long AFTER The Look. That would definitely have been skirting the edge of a disciplinary session. That’s straight back chat. That was not done. Especially when the back chat was justifying MY wrongdoing because I didn’t agree with my parents’ actions!!!! OMG! Maybe describing them as merciful, compassionate, slow to anger and possessed with unfailing love might “soften” them up; but…
And that’s precisely the point.
Good doesn’t give us The Look. Although we often get a check in our spirits for our actions. Rather, our God is Merciful … Does not punish us as we deserve (contrary to popular belief). Our God is Compassionate … And so ‘allows rain to fall on the just and the unjust’. Our God is Slow to Anger … Can you imagine if we were punished each time we sinned? Or if God really punished us in relation to our crimes? Oh lordy. Thank God for grace! Our God’s Love is Consistent and Never-ending … So much so that Jesus became the ransom for our sins. What an awesome amazing God. Yes we do get what we deserve sometimes – there are consequences for our actions; but God’s love never fades.
I thank God for The Look, it helped to shape me on an earthly level; but I’m even more grateful for God’s grace.
Hmmmn
How about you?
In Christ’s love and grace . . .
