Today’s Bible verse is from Isaiah 30:18 – “Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!”
This verse brings grace and compassion together as a unit. It is God’s great longing and desire to show us His true intentions toward us.
The month of February has been one of humility as the Man of God, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, declared it to be the ‘Month of Grace’ at the February Global Communion Service on Sunday.
During this month, Pastor Chris Digital Library provides a study titled ‘Expose on Grace’. It is aimed at providing an opportunity for every LoveWorld citizen to function in Grace through the study and meditation of God’s word as explained in the teachings of our Man of God.
The Lord is a God Of Justice
Many Christians lay heavy burdens upon themselves by struggling more than they have to and will not accept that God’s desire is to help and heal and show mercy. Some people just don’t feel they deserve it because of past sins, and they do not understand or receive the compassion and grace God offers us.
Sometimes part of this inability to receive His grace comes from pride. We think we can do it. We can manage our lives and fix our messes. That is why so many times it takes suffering to get us on our knees desperately reaching toward God and asking Him for help.
Pastor Chris points out that it doesn’t have to get to that point before we realize that we are already in desperate need of God? He offers grace to a people whom He purposely created to need this grace. It is more than favor; it is what we need to get through every moment of every day. With each stumbling block this world throws at us, God’s grace gives us the strength and determination to rise again. This is total dependence and it is in this total dependence where we find the power to walk as sojourners in this world.
We belong in the Kingdom of heaven and it will take His mighty power to strengthen us so that we don’t fall into the ways of the world and become like everyone else.
“For the Lord is a God of justice”. What could this possibly mean in the framework of compassion and grace? How is this justice? It was by God’s design that we are weak and vulnerable. He created us to need and depend on Him and Him alone and in doing so He knows better than we how much we need His grace and compassion.
God is slow to exercise his justice when that justice demands his people’s punishment. “Gracious and slow to anger” is a phrase repeatedly used to describe God in the Old Testament. God longs to be gracious and bless his people. He extends time for us to repent and turn to him. In Jesus, God even gives us his own Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Let’s hear the heart of God, and respond by turning our lives and our hearts to the God who longs for us. How blessed are all those who long for Him.