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Gifts Available to All January 5
Mercy
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in
mercy” (Psalm 103:8).
It is a marvel to me that God will bear with the perversity of the
children of men so long, bearing with their disobedience and yet suffering
them to live, abusing His mercies, bearing false witness
against Him in most wicked statements. But God’s ways are not as
our ways, and we will not marvel at His loving forbearance and tender
pity and infinite compassion, for He has given an unmistakable
evidence that this is just like His character—slow to anger, showing
mercy unto thousands of those who love Him and keep His commandments.
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God is merciful. His requirements are reasonable, in accordance
with the goodness and benevolence of His character. 13
Were the Lord to deal with us as we deserve, would we not be
punished in many ways as stubborn, ungrateful children? But He is
long-suffering, He does not deal with us according to our perversity.
Instead of this, He offers to take us into partnership with Himself and
with His Son. All may have life who will accept it; the world has been
invited to the gospel feast. 14
The Lord is merciful. He does not chastise His people because He
hates them, but because He hates the sins they are committing. He
must chastise them, that they may return to their loyalty. He designs
their punishment to be a warning to them and to others. No one need
walk in darkness. No one need say, “Specify to me the precise wrongs
of which I am guilty.” To those who say this, I give the word of the
Lord: “Search prayerfully, and you will know.”
If the warnings and reproofs given in the Word of God and in the
testimonies of His Spirit are not plain enough, what words would be
sufficiently plain to bring about a revival and a reformation? 15
[The Lord] waits long for His erring people to repent, that He may
remove the rod from them, and grant them His forgiveness and love,
filling their hearts with His peace and joy. 16
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