God Abounds with Steadfast Love

Our Love for God

God Commands Our Love, Respect, and Obedience:
Love and Worship God

Exodus 34:1-7 The Message

34 1-3 God spoke to Moses: “Cut out two tablets of stone just like the originals and engrave on them the words that were on the original tablets you smashed. Be ready in the morning to climb Mount Sinai and get set to meet me on top of the mountain. Not a soul is to go with you; the whole mountain must be clear of people, even animals—not even sheep or oxen can be grazing in front of the mountain.”
4-7 So Moses cut two tablets of stone just like the originals. He got up early in the morning and climbed Mount Sinai as God had commanded him, carrying the two tablets of stone. God descended in the cloud and took up his position there beside him and called out the name, God. God passed in front of him and called out, “God, God, a God of mercy and grace, endlessly patient—so much love, so deeply true—loyal in love for a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin. Still, he doesn’t ignore sin. He holds sons and grandsons responsible for a father’s sins to the third and even fourth generation.”

For Reflection

I have always had a difficult time with the "sins of the fathers" idea.  But I suppose it is entirely true if one of the family is in jail the whole family suffers.  If the family knew of the sin, yet did nothing to help the sinner, I suppose the family is complicit in the wrong-doing and, therefore, suffers. 
But, Job's suffering as punishment for sins is highly questioned.  So, is suffering God's punishment a natural result of human action? Could it be that suffering is not at all a punishment but, rather an unsatisfactory result of poor choices? Could it be that suffering, as God's course correction, opens the door to hope?

Pray

Pray for forgiveness. Pray for healing. Pray for redemption.  Pray and listen to the wee small voice of hope in your soul.

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