Merciful Lord

The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth. ~ Exodus 34:6

Yet again, we get a clear description of some of the Lord God’s characteristics when Moses boldly asks to see God’s glory.  Why Moses didn’t already think he’d seen enough through a burning bush conversation and the inscription of two stone tablets I’ll never know, but he asks to see it yet again.  The Lord himself calls himself merciful; which is defined as full of compassion; providing relief by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.  How many times did the Israelites disobey God?  I wonder how many times I have disappointed God.  I am thankful he turns his anger away and is merciful towards me instead of always giving me a just punishment.  The Lord calls himself gracious; which is defined as marked by kindness and courtesy (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).  I don’t believe there will ever be a kindness shown to man greater than the free gift of God’s love through his son Jesus Christ.  Graciousness = Grace; which is an undeserved favor, or gift and there will never be a greater one.  The Lord calls himself longsuffering; which means he is patient and slow to anger.  I am thankful God is long-suffering as I find myself a lot like Paul when he says, “I do not understand what I do.  For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do,” (Romans 7:15).  Thank you Jesus for being patient with me.  Good portions of the Old Testament show God’s anger and judgment and on the flip side of that, good portions of the Old Testaments also show us God’s great mercy, grace and long-suffering and love for mankind.  Thank you Lord.  Thank you for your abounding love and faithfulness. ~ Amen