Just Who Is God?

Psalms 130:3-4 NLT - LORD, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you.

Just who is God? What is His nature? Is He some God in the heavens just waiting to hit us with a lightning bolt every time we sin or is He a loving God who embraces and loves us and nurtures us along. Many people have it in their mind that He is the harsh judgmental God whose nature it is to punish each and every one of us - but that is not the picture I see. Yes... we will be judged for our wrongs and our sins. God wouldn't be God without that being part of His nature. But God is more than that. He is filled with kindness and love and mercy. He doesn't hold our past against us. He's not looking for ways to make our lives full of pain and suffering. In fact, He's just the opposite. He seeks a relationship with us. He wants to be our friend. He was willing to do anything in order to reach us, even allowing the death of His son – Jesus. I am a product of God's love and mercy. He has reached down and picked me up and set me upon a rock. I was so broken and hurt and filled with so much pain but God lifted me up and gave me a new purpose in life. He has revitalized me and has given me a second chance. I am so glad that He hasn't held my ugly past against me and has loved and restored me from sinful ways. God is so good. I am so blessed to have Him as my God!