The Kindness of God

There’s a song by Matt Redman called, 10 000 Reasons. I love this song, because it always reminds me how wonderful the Lord is to me. The words of the second verse of the song are as follows:
“You’re rich in love and You’re slow to anger,
Your Name is great and Your heart is kind.
For all Your goodness, I will keep on singing,
10 000 Reasons for my heart to find!”

I’ve become so aware of this attribute of God’s character – His kindness. Kindness is defined as ‘the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate’. However, it really overlaps with other words in its true essence and meaning, words like goodness, mercy, pity, love, grace, favour, compassion, gentleness, and tenderness.

One of my favourite scripture passages is the account in Exodus 33 and 34 when Moses meets with God in the Tent of Meeting, after the Israelites had sinned by worshipping the golden calf. And Moses speaks face to face to God about the way forward. The conversation between God and Moses is worth reading for yourself, as it speaks beautifully of God’s commitment to Moses and His people.

In verses 17-18 of Chapter 33, we read the following: ‘And the Lord said to Moses, I will do this thing also that you have asked, for you have found favour, loving-kindness, and mercy in My sight and I know you personally and by name. And Moses said, I beseech You, show me Your glory’.

If God had to show you His glory – Who He is – what would you expect it to look like? This great God of the universe, the Creator of everything, would surely display His power in the most extravagant manner. And yet, God chooses this moment when Moses asks God to reveal Himself to display the very essence of His character. He said to Moses, ‘I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim My name, The Lord, before you’ (Exodus 33:19). ‘And the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord! the Lord! a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness and truth, keeping mercy and loving-kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but Who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:5-8).

God revealed Himself as a God who is kind, gracious, merciful, slow to anger, just, and forgiving. He chose to reveal Himself as a God who knows that His children need kindness, patience and forgiveness, when they actually deserve His wrath. He’s abundant in loving-kindness and truth. Romans 2:4 says that God’s kindness (or goodness) is intended to lead us to repentance. Let’s run TO God and not away from Him when we have messed up. ‘For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust’ (Psalm 103:14). His heart towards us is kind and merciful. What an encouragement this is!

Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your kindness towards me. I see it in so many little things throughout my everyday life. Forgive me for the times I’ve doubted Your abundant goodness and loving-kindness. Thank You that, as with Moses, You know me personally and by name. I love You, Lord. Amen.