February 16

You Deal with God

I will not execute the full fury of My anger; I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim. For I am God and not man—the Holy One among you—and I will not come in wrath. — Hos 11:9 BSB

The Lord reveals His sparing mercies in this passage. Perhaps you, the reader, are feeling the weight of God’s displeasure right now, and everything seems to point to impending doom. Let this text lift you out of despair. The Lord invites you to reflect on your ways and confess your sins. If He were like a human being, He would have cut you off long ago. If He acted as people do, a single word would be followed by a swift action, and that would be the end of you. But it is not so, for “as high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are His ways above your ways.”

You may rightly sense that He is angry, but remember that He does not stay angry forever. If you turn from sin to Jesus, God will turn from His wrath. Because God is God, and not man, there is still forgiveness available to you, even if you feel buried in iniquity. You are dealing with a merciful God, not a harsh man, or even a merely just man. No human being could have patience with you. You would have worn out an angel, just as you have wearied your sorrowful Father; but God is longsuffering. Come and try Him at once. Confess, believe, and turn from your evil ways, and you will be saved.