Psalm 103:8-12 (NIV): The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
The Lord is a God who really is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love, just as He showed Moses (Exodus 34:6-7). It is that compassion, grace, and love that moved Him to plan a way to restore poor, miserable sinners to His presence, even though it cost Him the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross.
It is that compassion, and that grace, and that love for sinful humanity that stays His hand from visiting His judgment on us for the sins that we have committed, and for the rebellion that we hold in our hearts. Instead, He gives us time and abundant opportunities to repent and turn back to Him. He keeps working on us, sometimes applying pressure, sometimes merely allowing natural consequences to run their course, until we repent, or until we die, or until we corrupt our own souls so much that He can see that we will never turn.
And when someone truly does repent, truly turns away from their sin and rebellion and turns wholeheartedly back to Him, He really does remove our sins far from us, giving us a clean slate; a fresh start. He can even transform a person’s heart and mind so that we can truly serve Him “without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.” (Luke 1:74b-75)
That being said, it is urgent that people stop rebelling and sinning, and turn to Him right away. Human life is very fragile and desperately uncertain in this world that human sin has bent and broken. No one knows how long he or she has until the moment our souls are required of us. No one knows when Jesus will return. When death or Jesus comes, whichever comes first for any individual, the period of God’s gracious tolerance ends as well. Only His judgment awaits. Everyone should take heed and turn while they can!
Father, thank You for the grace that You showed me while I was still in rebellion against You for all those years. All that I am today I owe to You, and to Your grace, Your forgiveness, and Your love working through my life, recreating Me, and making me clean, pure, and holy, so that I can serve You, here and now, and forever. Amen.