Sometimes we forget that God isn't tame.
The Lord brought me to Nahum (small book at the end of the Old Testament) a few days ago. It's a recorded prophecy of the profit Nahum about the city of Nineveh. I am reading the first bit of chapter one and thinking, "God, why did you want me to read this passage? I mean, it's Nahum..."
Nahum 1:1-3
"The LORD is a jealous and avenging God;
The LORD is avenging and wrathful;
The LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries
and keeps wrath for his enemies.
The LORD is slow to anger and great in power,
and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty.
His way is in whirlwind and storm,
and the clouds are the dust of his feet."
I found myself staring at A LOT of characteristics that I often forget about belonging to God:
He is jealous, avenging, wrathful...
He takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies...
He is slow to anger and great in power...
He will not clear the guilty...
His way is in whirlwind and storm and the clouds are the dust of his feet...
Wow, I'll be the first to admit we arn't talking about this on Sunday. We don't like to think of God as jealous or avenging. We don't like to think of God as wrathful. And, WHY in the WORLD does that say God doesn't CLEAR the guilty??
Here is what I gather:
We serve an ALL-POWERFUL, ALL-GOOD, ALL-JUST, ALL-HOLY LORD.
This God is also an ALL-LOVING, LIFE-GIVING, PRINCE OF PEACE LORD.
He is a full HERO of LOVE, PEACE, and JUSTICE. He is a mighty WARRIOR that brings WRATH, VENGEANCE and VICTORY over his enemies.
God is a jealous God after the hearts of his creation. We have to lose the connotation that our culture has instilled that ties evil to vengeance and wrath. The GOOD God we serve conquers His enemies, and He DID conquer them: THROUGH JESUS.
God is fully just and He won't just CLEAR the guilty. Justice isn't clearing it, but God is MERCIFUL and provided a WAY for it to be pardoned. He literally gave his only son for our guilt. He out of ferocious love and mercy, God gave us the gift of His Son. He is jealous for our hearts and won by conquering His enemies and adversaries by the VICTORY through CHRIST on the CROSS. God chose to use his son as the weapon of choice. God is WILD. Wild with LOVE, POWER, WRATH, and VICTORY.
Nahum 1:7
"The LORD is good,
a stronghold in the day of trouble;
He knows those who take refuge in him."
I don't know how your relationship stands with God. I'll be honest, sometimes I STRUGGLE to remain in the word. But, God wants to be in a relationship with you. He wants to love on you, speak to you, share about His goodness and power. Literally the coolest, most-powerful, life-giving, edgy, and wildly loving God wants you. Just as you are. I dare you to catch that for yourself.
