Knowing God Rightly
“8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
15 The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
17 But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—”
The Bible reveals to us who God is and what His nature and character are like. God is completely self-sufficient and does not rely on human existence or actions. However, He created humanity and desires to reveal His love and holiness through us. God also delights in displaying His glory and will through humanity across all of creation. Therefore, knowing God is the fundamental way to understand who we are, how the world should be, and what the purpose and direction of our lives are.
God's holiness encompasses both His love and justice. Without His holiness, love loses its power, and justice may remain a mere formal judgment. God is not just the One who points out and judges our sins; rather, He is the One who, through His sacrifice and resurrection, provides a solution to the problem of sin with His love.
As the psalmist confesses, God's love heals us, removes our sins far from us, and shows us mercy because He understands our weaknesses. As children of God, we must discover our true identity in His grace and love, rather than evaluating ourselves based on our achievements or outcomes.
Today, let us remember to give praise and thanks to God, trusting in His holiness and love as the true path for our lives.
Prayer : Lord, we confess that our foundation is not in our abilities or others' evaluations of us, but solely in You. We desire to live a life of power, joy, and love through You. Help us not to be swayed by Satan's lies that lead to discouragement or pride, but let You alone be our life's motivation. Amen.
(Note: This summary was created based on an AI draft.)
Devotional content is available on the Our Daily Bread website.