Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
What we believe about God determines the way that we approach Him. Don't believe me? Just apply that principle to the people in your life. That coworker that frustrates you probably makes you create a little bit more distance. That friend that you love talking to probably draws you near, and you want to make margin to be with them.
See, what we believe about God really does affect how and how often we come to Him. Our Verse of the Day teaches us some really awesome things about God that should really change the way that we approach Him.
It comes from Psalm chapter 145, verse 8. "The LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love."
Examine Your Spiritual Life
I want you to think about your spiritual life right now—not to condemn you, but just to honestly think about how your walk with Jesus is going. Do you find yourself always running to Him, always trying to make time to be with Him? Or do you find that you're growing distant and maybe not spending as much time with Him as you want, or as you once did?
If it's the latter, I don't want you to feel bad, but I want you to ask yourself why that might be. Are you afraid to come to Him right now, or do you just not realize how wonderful it is to just sit in His presence and enjoy being near Him?
If we truly understand who God is in the Word, it should cause us to always want to run to Him.
The LORD—Yahweh
The first attribute I want to point out is not necessarily a direct character trait, but I want to highlight that the psalmist says "the LORD." When you see LORD in all caps in the Bible, it's a replacement for the Hebrew word Yahweh. This was the name that God gave to Moses to use before Pharaoh.
The closest English translation we have for that is, "I will be what I will be"—that God will meet you however you need. He's not limited in who He can be. He is perfect in all of His ways. Whatever you need from God, He's going to be able to supply it.
God Is Merciful
Then the psalmist goes on and says, "The LORD is merciful." Mercy is not getting what we deserve. It's holding back punishment that is rightfully due to us. When we know God is merciful, it means that even in our wrongdoing, even when we find ourselves in sin, we can boldly approach Him, knowing that He's going to forgive us because Jesus took the penalty for our sins on the cross.
God Is Compassionate
Then the psalm goes on. He says He's merciful and compassionate. This is God's tender heart for us. This is His understanding what it means to be human—to meet us in our weakness, to sit with us in our sadness, to walk with us through fear and anxiety and worry, never finding us to be a burden.
God Is Slow to Get Angry
Then He says that God is slow to get angry. If you've ever interacted with somebody who's quick to anger, you know how scary that can be. It makes you feel vulnerable, right? It causes you to build walls and put up distance, all to keep yourself safe.
With our God, we should know that He is not quick to anger. We can come to Him with anything and be sure that He's going to meet us with that mercy and that compassion.
God Is Filled with Unfailing Love
Lastly, He says that our God is filled with unfailing love. This is the crescendo. This is what ties everything that God is together. He is full of unfailing love—not imperfect, not temporary, not conditional, but an always-present love for you.
Know Who God Is
I want to ask you: Who is God to you? Do you know what the Bible says about Him? Have you experienced that for yourself?
I want to invite you and exhort you to spend time in the Word—not just to learn about God, but to be with Him. The more we learn about Him, the more we want to be with Him. The more we're with Him, the more we'll learn about Him. It creates this beautiful cycle of spending powerful, wonderful life with God.
The more that we spend time with God, the more we will find true joy and peace and contentment and satisfaction in this life and the life to come.