Half-truths about the LORD

A few days ago I met a family while they were shopping in a local store. Their third grader, a pretty blonde, spotted a DVD she wanted and announced, “I want that.” Her father smiled at her and said, “You’ll have to ask your Mom if you can have it.” He then looked at me and said with a smile, “I give her whatever she wants. I have a hard time saying no to her.” As the father of two daughters, I understand! Dads hate the disappointed look, the tears that sometimes flow when they say ‘no,’ so mostly to protect their own feelings they say, ‘yes,’ even when they know they shouldn’t.

“God loves you unconditionally!” is a phrase repeated by this pastor and from thousands of pulpits. It’s only half-true! Yes, God loves us; deeply, passionately, but not unconditionally. Too many of us treat Him like an overly indulgent Father. Despite knowing what’s right, we do what we want to do. “He will not really do anything about it,” we tell ourselves. But he will! Unlike Dad’s who can’t say no to pretty little girls, our Heavenly Father always acts in ultimate love and within the bounds of His holiness and justice. The Scripture reminds us that our choices will always have a consequence.
“Don’t be misled. Remember that you can’t ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow! Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.” (Galatians 6:7-9 NLT)

He is patient Father and deals with us gently, which too often we confuse with leniency. Just because we do not feel the heavy hand of judgment the day after we willingly ignore His Word should not be interpreted as a sign He really doesn’t care. He wants to spare us, so He convicts, convinces, warns, and draws us back to Himself. Oh, how thankful I am for His mercy, but I am terrified of His Majesty! One without the other creates an image of the LORD that is only half-true. The Psalmist sings of the mercy of the LORD and assures us that His love is rich because He knows we are frail and weak. Read ALL of this passage.

"He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.

But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—" (Psalm 103:10-17, NIV)

Take time to meditate on this passage from the ancient prophet. Thank Him for His justice, then pray that the Spirit will help you to live obediently, squarely in the center of His favor.
" The Lord is slow to get angry, but his power is great, and he never lets the guilty go unpunished. He displays his power in the whirlwind and the storm. The billowing clouds are the dust beneath his feet…. Why are you scheming against the Lord? He will destroy you with one blow; he won’t need to strike twice!" (Nahum 1:2-3,9, NLT)

Yes, His love is amazing; and His holiness is awesome, or at least it ought to be. Don’t fall for half-truths about Him. It’s not only foolish, it’s downright dangerous.
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Our God is an awesome God. He reigns from heaven above;
With wisdom, pow'r and love, Our God is an awesome God.

When He rolls up His sleeves, He ain't just puttin' on the ritz.
Our God is an awesome God.
There is thunder in His footsteps And lightning in His fists.
Our God is an awesome God.
And the Lord wasn't jokin' When He kicked 'em out of Eden.
It wasn't for no reason That He shed His blood.
His return is very close, And so you better be believin'
That our God is an awesome God.

When the sky was starless in the void of the night,
Our God is an awesome God.
He spoke into the darkness and created the light,
Our God is an awesome God
The judgment and wrath He poured out on Sodom;
The mercy and grace He gave us at the cross.
I hope that we have not Too quickly forgotten
That our God is an awesome God.

Our God is an awesome God. He reigns from heaven above;
With wisdom, pow'r and love, Our God is an awesome God.


Awesome God
Rich Mullins © 1988 BMG Songs, Inc. (Admin. by BMG Music Publishing)
CCLI License No. 810055