«A GRACIOUS GOD»
«You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm» Jonah 4:2.
SEVERAL YEARS ago, Yale University held a dialogue between Christians and Muslims in an effort to explain how these religions viewed love, compassion, and mercy. Summing up what was said there, David Neff underscored that Christians explained that God’s love is unconditional, that it’s not restricted to a particular group of people, and that, although we fail to put it into practice, Christianity is still a religion that professes compassion toward the entire human race. On the other hand, Muslims explained that according to their beliefs, love and compassion have very defined limits. One should be merciful toward orphans, widows, and those in need, but if someone destroyed their life by living in an imprudent and licentious way, then one should not have compassion toward them.*
Let’s be honest: isn’t the Muslim posture the one with which we feel most comfortable? Not a few of us limit our compassion toward those we believe deserve it. We have conditioned love to the culture of merit. How can we love a drunkard who squanders the money meant to buy food for his children? How can we be compassionate toward those who have spent all their money on sinful delights and vices? So we then take that humanized vision of love and apply it to God, and we teach that His love is conditioned to our behavior. But that is not what the Bible says.
The Scriptures clearly say that the Lord «delights in mercy» (Micah 7:18). When God refused to destroy the wicked inhabitants of Nineveh, a very angry Jonah complained saying, «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, NLT). Jonah knew God would deal lovingly with the Ninevites, even though their sin was unspeakable. James echoes Jonah and says that «the Lord is very compassionate and merciful» (James 5:11).
Although among believers some of us reveal a distorted image of God, the Bible clearly states the Lord is no respecter of persons and He treats everyone—those who think they are good and those of us who acknowledge we are wicked—lovingly and kindly.
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Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2023
“I AM WITH YOU”
From: J. VLADIMIR POLANCO
Collaborators: Lorina Maya & Avineyda Hernández