Who is God? — Scripture Reflection #089
Exodus 34:5-7 (New Living Translation)
5 Then the LORD came down in a cloud and stood before him; and He called out His own name, Yahweh. 6 The LORD passed in front of Moses, calling out,
“Yahweh! The LORD! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. 7 I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty…”
It is important to know who God is based on what He has revealed about Himself so that we can have a healthy, realistic perception of Him, ourselves, and our relationship with Him.
God is compassionate and merciful and patient and loving and faithful. Understanding this about God’s character should encourage us to come to Him with our cares and worries, seeking help because we know He will accept and love us as we rely on Him.
God is also forgiving yet just. We know that when we stray from His paths, we can come back to Him in repentance and receive forgiveness. But if we don’t, we are counted as guilty and therefore must receive a just punishment from a just God. And “it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).
The Calling: Remember who God is today, recognize that He is for you, and internalize what that means for you.
