Devotion - Wednesday, April 29

Which of God's traits are you glad to note?  Another way of asking this is to ask what characteristics do you trust God has, and will apply to you and your relationship with God?

I am grateful that God is merciful.

I think we all turn to God's graciousness.

Where would we be were God not forgiving.

And surely we hope God will remember Luther's explanation the 8th commandment and "interpret our actions in the kindest of ways."  Right?

We do hope, expect, assume, pray that these attributes will come into play when God looks upon us and when God deals with us.  So isn't it reasonable to turn this back around and say that these are the traits which ought to show forth in our lives?  If we want God to be forgiving, shouldn't his servants be known for that same characteristic?

Following Jesus doesn't mean trailing close enough behind him so as to be first in line should he drop a miracle or hand out a blessing.  Following Jesus means traveling where he traveled, it means going where he goes, it means living as he lived.

Forgiving - gracious - merciful: these are what we have first received from God, and now we are to pass them on to others.  If we want God to have these traits, we ought to apply them in our lives and in our dealings with others.