A Merciful and Gracious God (Exodus 34)

Exodus 34:6–7 6 And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

There was something very special about knowing and worshipping the LORD God. Unlike the often irrational, angry, and vengeful gods of other religions, the LORD God is full of mercy, grace, patience, with much goodness and truth. His mercy is there for thousands. He forgives the sins of those who repent, but will ultimately not clear the guilty who refuse to repent.

What a God! It is amazing that He emphasizes His grace, His mercy, and His kindness. He wants us to know that He is a God who gives what we do not deserve, withholds what we do deserve, and will forgive us if we repent. This kind of a God should attract sinners. This kind of God makes us want to come humbly to Him. His love, kindness, and mercy should draw us even when we sin.