Matthew 5:43-45 CSB
"You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. [44] But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, [45] so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Psalm 145:8-16 CSB
The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and great in faithful love. [9] The LORD is good to everyone; his compassion rests on all he has made. [10] All you have made will thank you, LORD; the faithful will bless you. [11] They will speak of the glory of your kingdom and will declare your might, [12] informing all people of your mighty acts and of the glorious splendor of your kingdom. [13] Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; your rule is for all generations. The LORD is faithful in all his words and gracious in all his actions. [14] The LORD helps all who fall; he raises up all who are oppressed. [15] All eyes look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. [16] You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
Gracious and Compassionate
The truth that the LORD is gracious and compassionate is a balm for the soul. Growing up, my mother took me to many church services and gatherings. Every now and then, there would be a pastor yelling and screaming, trying to convince the congregation of a vengeful God who was just waiting to hand out harsh judgment. Unfortunately, that is how many people still view the Father today.
In one sense, they are right: the Father is the Judge and Ruler of the universe. He is above any earthly power. Dictators, presidents, and kings alike will one day bow down to Him. His power is ultimate, and His judgments are wise and just. However, what is often not spoken of enough is that the Father is slow to anger and great in faithful love. As Psalm 145 shows us, the LORD helps all who fall and He stands with the oppressed. He supplies our needs and cares about the desires of every living thing.
The lowest points in my Christian walk have been when I tried to be legalistic—fearing that God would strike me down for every real or imagined wrong. This mindset made me a neurotic mess to myself and others. It is part of the human condition to fall short of who the Father is and to fail to walk perfectly as Jesus did. We commit trespasses we aren’t even aware of. Sometimes, years later, when the Holy Spirit reveals these things to me, I cringe at the wrongs I once thought were right.
Yet, when a follower of Jesus is corrected by the Father, it is done out of love. He is molding us into who we were meant to be—more like Him and less like the world. Just as we expect earthly parents to guide their children for their own well-being, we have the greatest Parent of all in the Father.
To truly rest in the Father’s love, I must realize that He is love (1John 4:8). Jesus tells us to love and pray for our enemies because the Father cares for both the evil and the good. He cares for all of His creation, sending His Son to die for our sins and the Holy Spirit to comfort and strengthen us.
I still hear the internal objection: But don’t we see the judgments of the Father throughout the Word? Yes, the Father judges, but He is a righteous, loving Judge who has provided even the worst offender a way out of what we all justly deserve through His Son, Jesus. He loves us so much that His Son paid the ultimate price for us. This is true love. All we have to do is come to the Father through the Son, and this simply takes an act of faith.
Reflection Questions
- When you think of God, do you first see a “Vengeful Judge” or a “Compassionate Father”? How does that view change how you pray?
- Matthew 5 reminds us that God sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. How can we show that same “impartial love” to people we find difficult to like?
- Can you identify a time when the Holy Spirit revealed a “wrong” in your life that you previously thought was “right”? How did that correction lead to growth?
Prayer
Father,
Thank You for being slow to anger and great in faithful love. Forgive us for the times we view You through a lens of fear rather than a lens of faith. Thank You for the “rain” and the “sun” You provide for all of Your creation. Help us to rest in Your love, knowing that Your corrections are meant to mold us into the image of Your Son.
Amen.
