The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will He harbor His anger forever;
He does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
Psalms 103:8-10
As a parent, I often find it hard not to grow angry or frustrated when my kids do something (or keep doing something) after I or their father have instructed them not to keep doing whatever they are doing. I love my kids. I love them to the moon and back. I am usually slow to anger. However, after a stressful day, I find that I am quicker to be angry than usual. That is all part of being human.
Know this, my beloved brothers:
let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
James 1:19-20
God is the perfect example of what a loving parent should be. He is:
- quick to hear and patiently listens to our requests and confessions
- careful in His answers to our prayers
- patient, loving, and kind
- puts up with a lot from us, but yet He still loves us
We, as humans, are not in any way getting the punishment or rejection that we deserve. Many of us have rejected our heavenly Father, but He still does not punish or reject us. He loves us in a way that we will probably never understand. Thanks to Jesus we will not receive the punishment that we deserve for sinning against God.
God does not harbor His anger His children. He does not hold a grudge—like so many people do. He does not hold our sins against us. Instead, God forgives us and loves us. He welcomes us back with open arms and helps us learn from our mistakes.
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Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for being slow to anger and always loving. We are so thankful that You do not hold a grudge against us. Your love is wonderful and compassionate. Because You love us so much, we do not have to worry about the wrathful punishment that awaits those who have rejected You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
