Attributes of God series

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Painting by Tolunimi Ojosipe-Isaac


GOD IS MERCIFUL

 And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord  God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth..." (Exodus 34:6 NKJV)‬‬

      One Saturday decades ago, the annual Intercollegiate Debate in Western State took place in a foremost secondary school in Ibadan, and because of the well-groomed girls usually in attendance, four of us broke bounds from our boarding house in Ijebu Ode and came to the attractive gathering on our own, not as part of the school's team. On Monday morning to our chagrin, we were arraigned before the principal during morning assembly. Normally the  offence attracted two weeks suspension at home, but instead we were sentenced to weeding our overgrown athletics field, for which I was still thankful! Else, how would I have explained my rascality at home? 

      In the bible, the Lord God described Himsel as "...keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin..." (Exodus 34:7). I wondered why God said "thousands" and not "all", but then I remember the conditionality that He shows mercy only to as many as go to Him in penitence and confession of their sins, iniquity and transgressions. The bible says in Joel 2:13, 'The people whom the Lord will not forgive are the unrepentant people who will not return to God with all their heart'. And also in Proverbs 28:13, 'Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy'.

       Perhaps the sin detested most by the Lord is idolatry. In Exodus 32, we read that while Moses was away on the mountain with God, the people prevailed on Aaron to make for them the golden calf to replace the God of Moses who seemed to have abandoned them. God became infuriated and was about to wipe them all off, but, when Moses interceded for the people, God relented and spared His people (vs. 14). God's merciful nature prevailed over His judgment.

       Blind Bartimaeus realised he was a sinner. He did not waste time rationalising his sins or its effect on his life when he encountered Jesus. He simply called on Hm Who is merciful, cast aside his garment of self and cried for mercy. Not only did he receive the Saviour's attention, he got his sight restored and became a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ (Mark 10:46-52). You too can do the same; the God of mercy is the same yesterday, today and forever!

©OO-I. Please share.


Links to my new books:

- Deeper Worship (Worship Him in spirit and truth)

- Renewed Blood (Journey to sickle cell healing)

https://selar.co/m/olusegun-isaac

https://rightwaybooks.com/profile/olusegun-isaac


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