Exodus 34:6-7 (NKJV)
6 And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, 7 keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”
Moses was up on Mount Sinai with the stone tablets that God commanded him to bring. He was in the presence of the Creator of the universe. God wrote the Ten Commandments on those tablets. This Law would show the people how far short of God’s standards they had fallen. It is impossible to keep the Law in our own power. We need God’s power here.
Moses did not know too much about God’s grace at the point he led the Israelites out of Egypt. God knew the people would be difficult and He had plans to refine them. He always has plans to prosper us. He knew what it would take to make them into His people, a mighty nation. They had just made the golden calf and were worshipping it when God threatened to destroy them. Moses might be listed as one of the greatest salesmen in the world because of his efforts to convince God not to destroy Israel. He does punish sin. He showed His patience and mercy to Israel.
God showed His grace again hundreds of years later to an undeserving people. He sent His Son to seek and save the lost. I guess that is what God does. He forgives our iniquity and transgressions. Do you want justice or grace? People say life is not fair. If it was totally fair and you got what you truly deserved, would you be happy? I don’t think so! But God is gracious, merciful and compassionate showing His love to a thousand generations. He loves you! You are His. Grace is undeserved favor. But it is of no value if you don’t accept the offer. Open your heart to Him today and let Him bless you!
Lord, open our hearts to Your grace. Help us accept Your mercy. Show us that we fall short of the mark but You make up the difference. Give us Your righteousness by faith in You. In Your name we pray!