God has Two Hands
We always hear mentioned in inspirational messages about the “Mighty Hand of God”. Yes His hand is mighty, strong, and powerful. But sometimes I feel that it is easy to forget that His hand is also loving, kind, compassionate, gentle, and comforting as well. God is not cruel. He is not abusive or and harassing tormentor. God is not sitting around waiting for you to fail so that He can “zap” you. Ancient Greeks and Romans portray their gods as supernatural beings who have very pronounced weaknesses. According to them, their gods whimsically or maliciously intervene in the lives of humans by controlling the elements, weather, agriculture, and often compete of contend with humans to exalt their superiority. The portrayal of Ancient Greek and Roman gods produce a sentiment in secular culture that God can be cruel, so why should I believe in a god like that. Secular culture is largely atheistic and will always blame God for the problems of the world, society ills, and all injustices while never giving Him credit for all of the goodness, kindness, mercy, grace, and love that He bestows upon each one of us.
God loves all people so much, but unfortunately by the time that the ancient Greeks and Romans established their empires, including taking over God’s chosen people and their promised land, the idea of who God is and what He is truly about was so distorted and compromised that He needed to do something drastic and profound that would illustrate to His people who His and how He really operates. Enter Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The birth, life, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ was not just a sign to God’s chosen people, it directly challenged every other idea and concept of divinity that ever was and ever will be.
Through the written accounts of the birth, life, and ministry of Jesus we can clearly understand that while God’s hand is mighty, it is gentle, even soothing as well. Yes God has the power to destroy, decimate, and utterly obliterate anyone or anything as stands against His will as an enemy, however He is fully gracious, forgiving, and allows many opportunities for repentance before pouring out His judgement. In modern secular culture God is portrayed as senselessly cruel and Jesus is portrayed as a weak doormat that lets everyone get their way. The modern secular agenda seeks to undermine the fact that God is more than just, fair, or righteous: He is loving. This love restore to the person who wasted what they never deserved to steward in the first place. This love gives additional chances for repentance to someone who has repeatedly failed with a new opportunity to receive help where they are weak. This live takes the blame for everything that goes wrong, and yet still comforts the hurt and brokenness that comes from the devastation of loss, attacks from others, or even personal failure. 
Yes God is the Judge with the gavel in His hand, but in His other hand is pardon, restoration, provision purpose, and assistance for every need. The case is closed. Jesus already suffered every punishment for any sin we have committed or will commit. He already paid the debt that would allow our creditors to keep us as slaves, and restored us back in to a Heavenly heritage. The case is expunged. Jesus Christ actually took on human flesh and experienced what is like to be us. All of the pains, agonies, the wounds, and rejection, the misunderstandings, even the failure. He experienced it all and is the only one qualified to defend us in the Father’s courtroom. Jesus not only pleads our case with His own blood, He completely destroys the record of that case rendering it settled forever, in heaven and in earth. Case, what case?
Lessons 'n Blessings 