This entry is about forgiveness and emotions.  As we have just celebrated the birth of Jesus it seems appropriate to focus on God’s unconditional love for us that was demonstrated through the giving of His only son. I was doing my daily devotional, and I believe the Lord used it to reinforce His unconditional love for us all. 

From the journal . . . . November 2023

Oswald Chambers, in his devotional, My Utmost for His Highest, November 20, talks about the forgiveness of God from

Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace

OC says, “Beware of the pleasant view of the fatherhood of God: God is so kind and loving that of course he will forgive us. That thought, based solely on emotion, cannot be found anywhere in the New Testament. The only basis on which God can forgive us is the tremendous tragedy of the cross of Christ. . . “

Lord, what I get from this is that You don’t forgive us because You are so loving and kind. (However, we know You are loving and kind, and that is Your motivation for the whole plan of salvation.) But a price had to be paid, and the price was Jesus. An enormous cost! Lord, I confess I don’t know how great the cost. You are God and I am not. I can only imagine. Trying to put myself in Your place, I know I wouldn’t want my kid taken from me and transplanted to an environment so substandard as earth is to heaven. And then for You to watch Your Perfect One die as a sinner is beyond what I can fathom.

Lord, is it important for us to think about it? I often do, of course, but not always.

And I Believe God Said:

The point is how much you need forgiveness and how much I love you.

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 
Acts 4:12 ¹² And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.”
Eph 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
1John 3:1 See how great a love the Father has given us, that we would be called children of God; and in fact we are. 

I willingly and intentionally paid the price.

John 10:17-18 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it back. ¹⁸ No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own.

These words aren’t adequate to express the scope of My devotion to My people. Your emotions give you an idea of Mine but to a very small degree.

Thank you, Lord.

As I think of God and His emotions, I conclude that His emotions are beyond comparing with my emotions. As a parent I’m often caught up in waves of intense love for my children. Sometimes, when they are hurting, it’s almost a physical pain, yet it feels like God is right there grieving with me. I remember an intense situation where the life of one of my grandchildren was threatened during childbirth. Later, as I was praising God for Jon’s safe delivery, I suddenly felt an intense furious rage at what the enemy attempted to do! I was in my car and screamed out my fury. I think that was a token sample of God’s emotion. It made me enormously grateful, to say the least, that He is on my side!

The depth of His furious love is beyond what we can understand. We can and do however receive the benefit of it as we live out our lives in His presence. He is a passionate God!

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