Pitied!

Pitied!

As a father loves and pities his children, so the Lord loves and pities those who fear Him [with reverence, worship, and awe].

Psalm 103:13 AMPC

There is no one that knows a child's strengths and weaknesses more than the parents. They are saddled with the task of helping the child discover his/her talents and gifts, developing and then weaponising them for impact in line with God's purpose. Parents help provide the right environment that will aid the development of the child. The connection between a parent and a child then forms the foundation on which today's extract is based.

If a mortal and human father can love a child to the point of giving his life for that child, imagine what God our own Father did. Well, it is first an assumption that this same Father here is also your Father. There is a family connection that must exist for me to call this God Father. He is not just the God of the whole earth, but MY Father. The personal touch makes all the difference. 

Today's extract does not say 'God loves and pities the world'. As much as God has created the entire universe, He seeks to relate with me on a personal level. He wants to call me his child and He wants to be my father. Am I one? If I am not, it will be difficult to claim the blessings mentioned here. And the terms of the relationship matters: God loves and pities His children: who accept His Lorship and Mastery over their lives. Have I surrendered to God as my father, or am I still holding on to full control? 

He is also called Lord here, which means that the Father is also the Lord. Just like the earthly father has authority over the child, so does God have authority over his own. He is Lord, does not brook rebellion. Actually, I get to choose to surrender to Him; He does not force Himself on anyone. For all who fear Him, they are in a position to lay claim to all that the relationship promises. 

So the questions remain: which God have I met or known? Is it the one who has no standards and allows you do whatever you like, or the One who lays down the standard, provides the strength to align and supplies grace to help stand to the end? If I fear God, I have nothing else to fear. If I do not fear God, I have everything else to fear. 

A final warning though: sometimes a father loves to the point of being permissive: wrong is not punished as it should, maybe out of deep love for the child. A father could keep a child from the consequences of his/her actions. God as Father does the same for us in a way too. We don't have to pay for the consequences of our sin, because He took up the punishment. He has not dealt with us as we deserve, because His love is greater than the need for instant judgement. 

But this is the problem: forgiving sin has an expiration date. A day is coming when all that is available is judgment for sin; no mercy, no forgiveness and no love. All men will be judged on the basis of what they did with the Love of God, personalised in Jesus. There is mercy, grace, pity and love now; make the approach now before it is too late. His time of favour is here.