Psalms Chapter 103 [8] The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. [9] He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. [10] He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. [11] For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; [12] as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. [13] As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. [14] For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. (English Standard Version)
So often, preachers, theologians, and those who think they know of God will try to assert that the Old Testament of our Bible is all about the Lord's vengeance and wrath, while only the New Testament shows His grace and mercy. Anyone who takes this approach to faith and theology has not spent much time reading in Psalms. It is true that the new Testament is a revelation of God's mercy through the life and teaching of Jesus, but throughout the Old Testament we also have snapshots of this mercy given to us that, when placed properly, show a beautiful mosaic which becomes complete when we add Jesus of Nazareth to it.
These verses show, like so many others, a picture of God as our Father. This can be such a difficult thing to deal with for some who have not had very good fathers here on earth. For them to compare the holy Creator of all the universe to the man they grew up with (if he actually stayed around to raise them) seems almost masochistic. They may have images of abuse, abandonment, neglect or complete disinterest when thinking of their fathers, and then they will apply those thoughts to God. No wonder so many will turn their backs to Him. If an earthly, finite father can be so scary or demanding, how much more one who is infinite and all-powerful?
When we compare our God in heaven to our earth-bound fathers we create major problems for ourselves. It becomes very difficult to see how good He really is. So, let's turn the analogy around; let's compare our fathers to Him instead.
The God revealed to us in the Bible is, at times, angry and vengeful. He is also kind and loving. He disciplines His children, but He will also show mercy. He seems to leave us alone at times, but only to allow us to grow. He provides everything we need and some of what we want. He truly is a father to us. Right here, on earth, we fathers are a pale reflection of what a father really should be; some of us are just paler than others.
Our passage today shows God separating our sins from us by an infinite distance, as far as the east is from the west. It shows His love to be as vast as the space above our heads. He loves His children more than we can know because the love that we have experienced in this world is so shallow compared to what He gives to us. When we come to Him with true humility and sorrow for our failures He doesn't smack us on the head or call us names. He won't disappear one day never to return. No. He is faithful to forgive (I John 1:9). He will never leave us (Hebrews 13:5). He is everything that a father should be (Luke 11:13). The only requirement is that we allow Him to be that Father by trusting Him to know what is best for us (John 6:40).
Do you trust Him?
If so, then remember that you will be no more perfect than your parents. That's right, you are an imperfect child. God gives instruction that you ignore. He shows a path that you refuse to walk on. He gives everything you could ever need and you forget to thank Him. And when you go your own way and stumble, even when you fall, does He sit back and laugh? Does He say, “I told you so”? No. He reaches down His hand (that's grace) so that you can have something to hold onto (that's faith), and He continues to teach you how to walk (that's love).
Praise God!
**** Side Note ****
Any analogy given to us in the Bible is going to be imperfect. When we read that, “God is like this” or, “God is like that” we must understand that the Lord has chosen to reveal Himself to us in written, human words that are as imperfect as we are. When the finite and imperfect are used to describe the infinite and perfect some things are bound to get lost in the translation. Earthly words could never adequately describe heavenly objects or concepts because God's realm is nothing like ours (Isaiah 55:9). But, they can be used to give us a picture or description that we are capable of understanding. Something that we can wrap our minds around. One day, we will know God perfectly (I Corinthians 13:12) but, until then, we have His word to follow Him by.
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