God's Compassion is Greater
Even Though We Don’t Deserve It
No one deserves to be saved. Paul writes, “we were by nature deserving of [God’s] wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved” (Eph. 2:3b-5).
3 undeserved blessings God’s children experience because His compassion is greater.
God blesses us with:
1. Fresh starts (vs. 1-2)
- Even when we are disobedient and ‘on the run’ from Him, God says, “never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (cf. Heb. 13:5; Ps. 139:7-10; Rom. 8:38-39)
- The LORD’s patience and kindness towards us is intended to lead us to repentance (cf. Rom. 2:4)
Are you ‘down’ and ‘on the run,’ living disobediently, and not experiencing the peace of God in your life? The good news is, the Lord has not forgotten you. He is compassionately orchestrating the events of your life to lead you to confess your sin and repent. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 Jn. 1:9).
2. New opportunities to serve Him (vs. 3-4)
- Repentance leads to reconciliation with God and the possibility of recommissioning from God
- God expects us to be faithful to proclaim the message that He has entrusted to us – the message of reconciliation (cf. 2 Cor. 5:19b-20; Jn. 3:16; Acts. 2:38, 3:19; Rom. 6:23, 10:9-10)
Are you taking advantage of the new opportunities God is blessing you with to serve Him as His ambassador? Has experiencing His undeserved compassion in your own life through multiple ‘fresh starts’ compelled you to go and proclaim the message He has given you? If not, why not? Like David prayed when he was feeling down, we need to pray, “restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me” (cf. Ps. 51:12).
3. The privilege of seeing Him save people from His wrath (vs. 5-10)
- If we obediently engage in His mission, we will witness great and wonderful things (cf. Day of Pentecost, Acts 2:37-41; Lk. 15:10)
- Helping people call out to God in response to His compassionate warnings is essential to seeing people saved from His wrath (cf. Rom. 10:13-15, cf. Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21)
Like the Ninevites, perhaps the Word of the Lord has come to you today, and you realize that you are not in a right relationship with God, that His wrath remains on you (cf. Jn. 3:36), and you do not want to perish but have eternal life. Accept the compassion of God, who has helped you to understand your situation, and respond to His Word: believe, call out to Him with urgency, and turn from your evil ways. If you are in a right relationship with God, when was the last time you pleaded with someone to be reconciled to God and saved from His wrath? We must faithfully go and proclaim, leaving the results with God, and watch what He can do.
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