Friday, June 29, 2012

God's Tender Love


Nehemiah 9:19-21 KJV
Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.
Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.
Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.

Nehemiah's confession brings to the forefront the grace and mercy of God to Israel during those forty years and that after their sin with the golden calf.

Israel was sentenced to wander those forty years after refusing to trust the Lord and enter the Promised Land at Kadesh Barnea. And yet, for those forty years, while an entire generation withered and died, God
  • Was with them
  • Provided for them and
  • Protected them.
What a picture this is of God's tender love. It reminds me of a dear friend in Astoria who, when his daughter had disobeyed, took her in another room to be spanked, but for love for her took the spanking himself. Here was disobedient Israel. Their sin must be dealt with and God justly dealt with it. They were judged and their sentence was carried out, but God never left them through it. As they faced their judgment God wiped their brow, if you will, and blessed them as He could through it.

Oh, and the story of my friend in Astoria? Is that not exactly what God did when, out of love for us, He became man and died in our place? 

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