Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” Exodus 34:6-7
Some people think of God as sitting in heaven, waiting to hurl lightning bolts on people for small sins. Or that the God of the Old Testament is angry. We need to have God teach us how we must think about Him.
Moses asked God to show him His glory. These verses in Exodus 34 is God’s response. Think deeply over these words, because they reveal the fixed character and glory of God. What stands out to you?
Since Jesus is God, and is the glory of God in human form, then all that is true of God in Exodus 34 is also true of Him. While Jesus had plenty of opportunity to hit people with lightning bolts on earth, He didn’t. He ate with the tax collectors and sinners. He wept over Jerusalem in her rebellion. He rebuked the Pharisees as well as His disciples.
How you think about God is what is most important about you. The more you learn the character of Jesus – His greatness, His love, His forgiveness, His salvation – the more you will trust Him with you day to day burdens and difficulties.
A Prayer: Father, show us Your glory! We hunger for Your Word that will transform us by renewing our minds. Please, open our eyes today to how You show us in the midst of our lives that You are great and awesome!