I acted out of who I was, not by what I felt, so that I might be honored and not blasphemed...[so that] you'll also realize that I am God. (20:9, 15, 22, 44).From this passage, we know that at this time God's predominant feeling toward the Israelites was anger (20:8, 14, 21) because of their rebellion against Him. But God did not act out His anger, did not inflict, unleash, nor dump it on them. He restrained His feelings and acted out of who He is.
And He is a personal God (20:5), the only God (20:7), the holy God (20:11-12, 41), the living God (20:31), the Master (20:31), the King (20:33), the God with open arms (20:40). He is not one-dimensional, predictable, nor definable. His actions toward the Israelites included leading them out of Egypt and into the desert; giving them laws for living; canceling His promise to take them to the "country flowing with milk and honey"; scattering them all over the world; and bringing them to judgment.
Is this the picture of the God you follow? Is this my picture? Do I see Him as the God who restrains His righteous anger towards me only because of who He is not because of who I am or what I've done?
And do I choose to act out of who He is in me and not by what I feel? Is His identity in me more real to me than my feelings? Is honoring Christ in me the utmost thing in my mind or is acting on my emotions the overriding compulsion?
1 comment:
I think because of the way I don't always see God as the same God all the time- never changing, it is hard for me to see others and even myself in that same way. For who they are.
Listened to a message today about seeing others through Jesus and how that creates community. Only when we start to do that- see people as LOVED-by- God-people can we truly love them. Phil 1:1 was used to show this.
And I pray to see this more of God- to see Him as God. Not as the one who has done this or done that or not. But as God. And get to know Him more and more intimately. Afterall, He's the only solid rock ever.
Post a Comment