The Character of God

Over the course of six weeks, Bible Study covered the characteristics of God as it is described in Exodus 34:6-7, which is the first time in the Bible that God describes His characteristics. God describes Himself as being compassionate and gracious. Slow to anger and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness.

My takeaway is that God's first inclination is mercy and this applies to everybody. And while I have a whole list of people that I personally feel should get God's justice first, that is not up for me to decide. However, God's justice is always on the horizon, especially for the unrepentant, and I don't want to be in that number.

My other takeaway is that God wants His people to be like Him. Which means that we must also be compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loyal love and faithfulness.

As much as i would like to point out just how bad the Church can be at this in general (maybe some other day), I must first acknowledge how bad I am at displaying God's characteristics my own self. Not for lack of trying. I really do try to love my neighbor as I love myself but some of my neighbors be trying me. It is also very difficult to humanly display the characteristics of God to people who are actively making everyone's lives worse.

But oh, how I must not forget the Holy Spirit who empowers me, and us, to become more like God. And reminds me that God is not Zeus, sitting up on a cloud lightning bolt in hand, ready to zap people for falling out of line (even though if He was, I think He should direct said lightning bolt...nevermind).

See, the Lord is working on me.

Anyway, now that I know better about who God is and what He wants me to do with that information, the ball is in my court and yours, since you read this and you now know better.

God send help because we're gonna need it.

Be strong and take heart,

Toyin