A loving God

Our goal when we wake up each morning is usually to do good - to be courteous to people, patient in the difficult moments, honest when tempted, forgiving when wronged. But we do mess up, and sometimes our actions and reactions create a mess. Usually we know when the mess is ours, which causes us, hopefully, to want to do better next time.

When we're fixed on our guilt, our view of God changes to fit our view of self. Like the prodigal son, we think, 'My Father wouldn't want me. He'll be angry and ready to punish me.' But skip to the end. The prodigal son expected a father who treated him as lowly as he thought of himself. Instead, his father swept him off his feet. He embraced him in tears (see Luke 15:11-32).

God is love, grace and kindness. His dream for the world wasn't to make a planet full of sinners deserving his punishment (that's just...odd). His plan was love - from start to finish. From before the creation of the universe, his plan was love. He made a world where everyone had free will to walk away from him. Again and again, when we messed up, he gave up his right to punish us and he loved us.



So what now? Do you sometimes find it difficult to believe God created you to be loved and not punished? Why not ask a wise older Christian to chat it through with. Truth: you are loved by a loving God.





— SCRIPTURE —

'God's kindness made me what I am.' 1 Corinthians 15:10 GWT
— SOULFOOD —

Deut 3-4, Matt 6:1-18, Ps 37:1-7, Pro 11:24-26