Deuteronomy 29-32
God's Forgiving Nature

After pronouncing blessings for obedience and punishment for disobedience, God stated to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 30:1-3, "And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you, and return to the Lord your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you." In v. 9-10, He said, "The Lord your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your cattle and in the fruit of your ground. For the Lord will again take delight in prospering you, as he took delight in your fathers, when you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, when you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul." God's good will was dependent on God's people doing one thing: "and return to the LORD your God..." (v. 2).

How do you view God? Do you view Him as One who is cold and sterile; always looking down on man disapprovingly? Anxious to find one mistake so He can mercilessly cast us down to hell? If so, then your view of God is mistaken. Scripture gives us an entirely different picture. The LORD is a God who longs to forgive when people commit error. While He does not-cannot- overlook our sin, He also is one who longs to naturally respond to us in love. That is not to say He will not punish; it is to say the way He wants to approach us is with love. His message to the exiled Jews is universally true, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11). Such plans on God's part demands the necessity of forgiveness for erring humans who repent.

Being a just God, He cannot simply overlook sin. There must be a price paid-a penalty for our sins. But, being a loving God who knew we could never pay such a price, He paid the price Himself. Jesus Christ came and died on the cross for our sins (Romans 3:21-26). It is through His Son that God is able to extent do what we need, and what He loves to do-forgive those who sin, but repent.

Our God is a God who looks on us with mercy when we fall. Get up, sinner, and come to Him. He will warmly greet you and embrace you as His child.

What a wonderful God we serve! How much we need Him!