“Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” – Romans 2:4
So … I’ve never been a rich woman–not in the material sense at least. Well, I take that back. If I consider this topic in light of the world population, I enjoy a tremendous amount materially speaking. For instance, Mark and I traveled years ago to the island of St. Lucia. We met up with a local Christian congregation and received the sweetest hospitality. Yet there were bars on the bedroom window, ants that picnicked on my legs while I slept, and zero running water except for specified times. The church building was devoid of air conditioning and the homes of our brothers and sisters were extremely bare. Seriously–decorations consisted of hand colored drawings attached to the wall and even refreshments were minimal. But you know what? My most outstanding memory consists of their immense joy. These lovely Christians truly experienced and exuded GOD’S RICHES.
Jeremiah 10:6 reveals, “There is none like Thee, O LORD; Thou art great, and great is Thy name in might.” Almighty God possesses qualities like no other. His extraordinary characteristics cannot be matched. To name a few, consider the following:
Kindness – God, who is infinitely holy and righteous, expresses His kindness every day. From keeping the world in motion to being personally involved in our lives, His kind deeds on our behalf often go unnoticed.
Forbearance – God repeatedly controls Himself even though He’s constantly provoked by countless sins. What must He think as He watches all forms of evil taking place on the earth He created? Oh, how it must grieve Him to see mankind–Christians and non-Christians–sinning against Him.
Patience – God, the perfect Father, graciously allows us to stumble and fall. He tenderly picks us up, gently brushes us off, and faithfully encourages us to try again. He doesn’t roll His eyes in frustration or jerk us to attention in disgust. He constantly loves us and leads us by His hand.
As each day commences or closes, let’s utter words of appreciation to our matchless, majestic God. Worthy of our worship and thanksgiving, He rules the universe AND engages in intimate relationship with His people. Why does He even care about the likes of us? Because above all, God IS love. May this crown jewel of truth fully permeate us so others see how abundantly rich we are in Christ.
“Holy and righteous Father, thank You for the daily kindnesses You enact and for Your merciful kindness that leads us to repentance. Your forbearance reveals the depths of Your love, and Your patience allows us to grow and mature. Oh Father, we are exceedingly grateful for Your beautiful, unfailing character. We worship You for who You are and thank You for the grace You pour into our lives. May You be exalted in our thoughts, words, and actions today. We love you because You first loved us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” – 2 Corinthians 8:9
photo credit: Juergen Kurlvink via photopin cc
