SEARCHLIGHT
What are God’s most outstanding qualities?
SCRIPTURE
Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity. Joel 2:13 NIV
Change your life, not just your clothes. Come back to God, your God. And here’s why: God is kind and merciful. He takes a deep breath, puts up with a lot, this most patient God, extravagant in love, always ready to cancel catastrophe. Joel 2:13 The Message
SPOTLIGHT
How would you introduce your mother to a friend? You love your mother dearly and know you could never repay her for all she has done for you. One day you are walking in a park with your mom and a friend comes over to greet you. Proudly you might say “Hi Sam. I would like you to meet the woman who brought me into this world and has loved and cared for me all my life. This is my mom and she’s the best of the best.”
HOW WOULD YOU INTRODUCE GOD TO A FRIEND? Just for a moment, pretend God can be seen and you are hanging out with Him. Another friend comes over and wants to find out who you are with. What would you say? “Hi Sam. I want you to meet God. He’s……”
Too many people greatly misunderstand God. Their perception may be based on their own biological father. If he was absent or abusive, it is very difficult for them to see their Creator in a different light. If they quickly skim through the Old Testament, they can end up with a marred view of who God really is. They may see a powerful, big bully who does as he pleases, when he pleases, pushing people around the way he wants. Others may see God as a dictator who rules with an iron hand. Still others may perceive God as being an angry judge who wants to carry out sentencing on disobedient people.
None of the above are true when you carefully read the Bible. One of the most repetitive descriptions of God was written by the prophet Joel. See the above Scripture focus. Joel identified God as being gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love and relenting from sending calamity. Jonah gave the same description. [Jonah 4:2] Both prophets were wanting their audiences to know that “God is kind and merciful. He takes a deep breath, puts up with a lot, This most patient God is extravagant in love and always ready to cancel catastrophe.” [The Message] This Bible verse is mentioned in some form at least 10 times in the NIV translation. There has got to be a significant message when something is repeated so many times.
It is true that the Bible says God will judge people some day for refusing to believe and obey Him. In fact, Joel was warning people of the coming of a judgment day. Jonah’s message to the Ninevites was similar. However, the most often mentioned qualities of God are gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love, and faithful. Ten books in the Old Testament describe God as gracious and compassionate. Six out of the 10 books add that God is slow to anger and abounding in love. Two out of 10 highlight God is faithful and 2 out of 10 underscore God is slow to judge or punish.
Here is what I would say if I was introducing God to a friend. “Hi Sam. I would like you to meet my Heavenly Father, Almighty God…the One who I have often mentioned about how He has changed my life. I am so glad to be able to introduce you to Him because you will never meet someone so kind and forgiving, patient, and always filled with love and understanding even when I mess up.”
SOMETHING TO DO
Take a few moments to reflect on how God has expressed these 5 qualities to you. How has He been gracious and shown compassion? How has God been patient with you and exhibited a love that is endless and always understanding?
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Almighty God, thank you that I know You as my Heavenly Father. You have made yourself known to me. I am so grateful to have experienced your graciousness, mercy, patience, endless forgiving love, and faithfulness. AMEN!