Psalm 145:1-8

“The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” vs. 8

As we read through the Hebrew scriptures it is stunning to note how often the theme of God’s grace and mercy shows up. It seems that the psalmists and prophets never tired of reminding people that the Lord was slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 

And from what we read about Jesus in the gospels it’s obvious that he had absorbed this sense of the Divine, and that in him the grace of God had become incarnate. And as people began to think of the Church as the Body of Christ, it was this unconditional and sacrificial love of God that was at its heart. In the midst of this broken world it was here that the Spirit of God would be at work to bring peace and reconciliation.

Sadly, not all have received the gracious word of God with gladness. Some like the prophet Jonah are angered by the good news of God’s love. They prefer a world marked by condemnation and judgment, and many would like to return to the good old days of repression and punishment. They simply cannot believe that love works better than bombs in transforming the world.

But not all have fallen away from the gospel! There are millions of the faithful who revel in the good news of God’s grace and mercy, and not only for themselves, but for every other broken inhabitant of this earth. They are the hope of this world!

Thought for the Day: Where have I seen the power of love make a difference?