31 Days: Day 26- Thanking God That He Is Kind
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! (Psalm 107:1 ESV)
God is just and judges and reigns from His throne. He is strong, providing a refuge and fortress as well as fighting for me. He is strong enough to create me and loving enough to forgive and save me.
I could keep going. There is no end to WHAT God does for me and WHO He is. But one characteristic of my Lord I treasure, and that draws and holds my heart to His own, is His Kindness.
What other God is described as kind? I am a sinner and He is just and righteous. Without His kindness, how else could I run to the Him? That precious attribute makes the mighty Lion of Judah my safe place.
How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. (Psalm 36:7 NASB)
Listen to the words of our Heavenly Father as He speaks of His attention to His people. As a parent cares for a child, so He cared for them. His kindness was daily evidence of His love.
Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them. I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them. (Hosea 11:3-4 ESV)
If I need proof that God is kind, I simply gaze at my Savior. His incarnation on earth proclaims the Father’s kindness and goodness. He didn’t come to save us based on if we performed, but His poured out mercy.
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, (Titus 3:4-6 ESV)
The richness of God’s mercy and the greatness of His love causes me to praise Him. His salvation through the blood of Jesus seems generous enough to me, but He didn’t stop there. He not only forgives my sin and saves me FROM judgement, He saves me TO a relationship where He extravagantly showers me with kindness. What can the world offer compared to that?
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved-- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-7 ESV)
Why does He pour kindness upon anyone? Because He WANTS people to repent. The separation removed, a loving relationship can be established.
… God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? (Romans 2:4 ESV)
Here is the deal- God does judge and punish sin. But, if that was all He did, there would only be fear. I must also SEE and UNDERSTAND, He is overflowing with kindness to grasp a bit of the reality of the Lord of the universe. Holiness. Lovingkindness. Compassion. Truth. Plus, He NEVER runs out of any of this.
…”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, …” (Exodus 34:6b-7a NASB)
Both lovingkindness and judgement reside without contradiction within the infinite God. What if He was only holy? Only severe? I am eternally grateful that He is EQUALLY kind!
Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. (Romans 11:22a ESV)
Even in the face of rebellion and rejection, the Lord did not lose His kindness. It is His character- who He is. That drives me to my knees. I just don’t understand how He could STILL be kind when we profoundly deserve the opposite!
They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them…. Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and lovingkindness. (Nehemiah 9:17, 32a ESV)
My Lord’s kindness leads me every day. It guides me to abiding with the Lord. It keeps me close to Him always. It keeps me on a path that leads to Him.
Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23:6 NASB)
"In Your lovingkindness You have led the people whom You have redeemed; In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation. (Exodus 15:13 NASB)
So today we thank God that He is kind. It drives His compassion and forgiveness for His people. Not enough words exist to praise Him.
"Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now." (Numbers 14:19 NASB)
Prayer
Thank You Lord, who is great and mighty and awesome and KIND.
I run to You and the shadow of Your wings because I am assured of comfort and protection. I treasure Your kindness which leads and trains me like the most compassionate Father. You show me the way to go.
Nothing demonstrates Your kindness more than Jesus. Thank You for addressing our stubbornness and difficulty comprehending with a physical representation of Yourself. Jesus displays Your goodness and kindness with clarity.
Thank You for the richness of Your mercy and love that came for me WHILE I was still dead in sin. Your kindness beckons my name and calls me to the repentance You offer. When I look to Jesus and continue to observe the infinite mercy of Your grace, I MUST praise You. How could I do anything else?
You are holy and just. Thank You for the lovingkindness of forgiveness in Jesus which allows me access to You. I deserve wrath and receive grace. Thank You Lord for being slow to anger and ready to forgive. Please forgive my stiff-necked insistence on having my own way, and please help me obey You.
I will follow You, wherever You lead me. Thank You for the guidance You offer. How could I choose to follow anything else? I desire to dwell with You, and You alone. Thank You for the kindness and goodness that reside wherever You are.
I praise You and Your great lovingkindness.
Amen
Oh dear one, take the time to rest in the loving embrace the loving and kind Father offers all who will come to Him. Lets not take this precious gift lightly. God uses His kindness to lead us to repentance and Himself. Let us run to His open arms.