Exodus 34:6-7
The scripture for today is Exodus 34:6-7
Exodus 34:6-7 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.
A profound and wonderful truth is given to us by God Himself regarding His character. God is first and foremost "merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, and forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin." The Psalmist wrote, "But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name's sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me." Psalms 109:21 But love and mercy could only exist in the presence of justice. It is the presence of justice that amplifies the love and mercy of God. Justice is good because it is fair. It gives the person what they have earned, what they actually deserve. "The wages of sin is death" Romans 6:23 but God, through His love, offers every person the path to freedom. Why? Because "God is love." 1John 4:8
Only those who reject the love and mercy of God remain guilty before Him. Those who remain in such a condition will not be cleared; they have rejected God's love. Those sins and iniquities are replayed in the lives of the unrepentant again and again through their offspring. There is an old saying, "like father, like son." The only way to break this cycle of sin and its consequences is to come to Christ and receive the love and mercy of a forgiving God. Those who come to Him, He "will in no wise cast out." John 6:37
God bless you as you continue in His service.
Tim