"The Love of God"

by Dan Cooper

 

    One of the few things I’ve learned throughout my 18 years on this earth is that people don’t read the Old Testament. People don’t like it. Yeah, of course we read some parts of Genesis, and we always read from Psalms and Proverbs but do we read the rest of it?

    Many people think it’s too long and boring. I’ll admit, genealogies aren’t the most inspiring things ever but there are some amazing facts about God in the Old Testament. It is after all our grass roots and the story of the first phase in God’s plan. One of the most amazing things about God that we learn from the Old Testament is also one of the reasons why we don’t read it: His wrath.

    The thing is, we don’t like to think about it. It’s scary, boundless and more powerful than any other force in the universe. We don’t like to think that since God spoke this world into existence it would be pretty easy for him to undo what he created. We much prefer a white-washed fun-loving God who never gets mad and will let us do whatever we want.

    I’m not about to give you a “hell-fire and brimstone” message because I don’t think that that’s necessary. I’m not going to scare you into a closer relationship with Jesus so that you can save yourself from eternal fire. What I’m saying is that in our attempt to make God more politically acceptable we’ve forgotten who He really is. We’ve committed idolatry by creating this warm and fuzzy God of teddy bears.

    The Jehovah I know is the same God that caused a flood that wiped out the whole earth, save a few people and two of each animal. The God I serve is the same one who rained down fire, consuming Sodom, Gomorrah and everyone living there. The true God is the one that fearfully and wonderfully created us in His image and gave us one simple task: be his best friend. He told Adam and Eve that they could be his best friends and live in his garden as long as they didn’t eat from the forbidden tree. As we all know they blew it and ate from the tree. God got mad. He didn’t kick them out of paradise because it wasn’t paradise. He kicked them out because they disobeyed Him. Not only did He kick them out but God made their days numbered. He instituted a new law: Death. When we sin we die. Pretty simple isn‘t it? God hates sin. There is nothing he can’t stand more than sin and he detests it so much He refuses to look at us when we’re covered in sin.

    Further down the road God gave the Israelites specific instructions on what to do and what not to do. He even gave them ways to be forgiven when they screwd up. As we all know they did mess up but not only did they mess up but they forgot to ask for forgiveness. Time and time again they forgot the laws that God gave them. Every time they would forget God would get mad and let them fall into the hands of their enemies. God promised them that he would bless them and make them the most powerful nation on earth as long as they followed Him but He also said that He’d do the exact opposite if they disobeyed Him. My name, Daniel, means God is my Judge and that’s exactly what he is. He’s the supreme authority in the universe and therefore it’s His duty to judge us according to his standards. According to those holy standards we are all failures and we have no place in God’s kingdom.

    If you’ve read this far you probably should be offended, mad at me, or you’ve realized just how unworthy you are of God’s love. IF you do feel unworthy stop and think about things. Even though God hates our sin so much that he can’t look at us He came to earth and died for us on a cross. We’re the ones who botched God’s plan for us and we’re the ones who disobeyed his very simple rules; He’s the one who gave up heaven for 33 years to live a poor and painful life and to die the worst death ever for the sake of our iniquities.

God loves you that much! Take a moment and think about it. Think of all of the times you have sinned and God has forgiven you. Without the knowledge of His terrifying wrath can we fully understand His amazing love? God isn’t a lubby-dubby fluff bucket but He also isn’t some angry old man out to get us. He’s a very complex God that we can never fully comprehend. He hates our sin with all of his might but he loves us with all of his heart.

    My challenge for you today is to think about his anger. To take time aside and focus on all aspects of God’s personality. His righteous anger and His boundless love and forgiveness. Let the knowledge of your failure remind you of how much He loves you. And if you have any sin inside you let the Lord wash you in His blood and make things right between you and Him.