“But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.” (Ps 78:38-39 AV)
Psalm seventy-eight is a record of Israel’s travels once they were delivered from Egypt and sporadic events since that time. Time and again, Israel disappointed the LORD. The Bible tells us they limited what God could do. They complained, they doubted, then even directly opposed Him. They went after other Gods. Yet time and again, God turned His anger away from them and forgave their actions. They would complain about the consequences of their choices, and the LORD would turn His hand of correction away from them. When I consider how much Israel put God through, I wonder how much have N.T. saints done the same. Glory may reveal all the times God could have chastened us but decided not to. Of the times He has, one has to wonder if His mercy was fully appreciated.
When I think of Israel’s behavior, I think of a child who is undisciplined and simply doesn’t know any better. It would be hard to come up with a unique example because we were all like this at one time or another. That adolescent who seems to be more trouble than the rest. He or she does not listen. Complaints roll off the tongue. When asked to do something, they ignore the command. When Mom or Dad offer their lap, they would rather go after a favorite toy just because. In times like these, it is easy for Mom or Dad to get angry. It would be easy to take out the paddle or be tremendously offended at the lack of respect in rejecting an offered lap. It would be easy to harbor bitterness against a strong-willed child who doesn’t seem to respond to parental guidance and love. I have seen many parents make the mistake of preferring a well-behaved child over a strong-willed child. It would be very easy to become impatient and frustrated. Time and again they do the same naughty thing. Rebellion is not the cause. It is a lack of discipline. Mom and Dad struggle, but if they are biblically minded and love that child, patience and persistence win the day. It is said by the ignorant that an authority figure must break the spirit of a child. So wrong! Rather, Mom and Dad must break the will without breaking the spirit. Only patience and love can accomplish this.
This is exactly what God does with us. He does not want us corrected to the point we lose all incentive to do right. Zeal and motivation are important. The mercy of God understands we are very frail and if judged about that which we are able, will crush our spirit and make us ineffective and withdrawn. Praise the LORD for His wisdom and mercy. It is the love of God that measures judgment against our frail frame. It is the compassion of God that sees us for what we are and knows that if taken to the full measure, God’s justice would crush him whom God desires to mature. This perfect and divine exercise of mercy is the reason any of us can do anything for God. He knows our frame. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows that all disobedience is not necessarily rebellion. He knows the difference between neglect, immaturity, inexperience, and flat-out rebellion. His mercy endures forever. He knows what He is doing and I, for one, am eternally grateful He does not mete out all that I deserve. I wouldn’t last.
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