First, I want to say how thankful I am to God for His Love, Mercy, Truth, and Grace.
As America celebrates Thanksgiving to God (original purpose1) for the bounty and protection He gives us, I want to talk about lions instead of turkeys.
Proverbs 19:12
The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.
As a king of the house, how many have had dads whose bark (roar) was worse than his bite? I am very certain many have suffered equally from the bite as much as others from the bark. Others wish they had a dad’s roar to even hear.
The stresses of life generate frustrations and frustrations generate anger. This same bite/bark process happens everywhere these days with our bosses, our relationships, watching the news, social media. As such we apply this thinking to God. “Oh, this or that happened, I guess God’s mad at me.” When those thoughts abound, here’s who’s really doing the roaring – it’s not God.
1 Peter 5:8
Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
When those thoughts of “God is angry at me” come and flood your mind, remember the devil is impersonating God. The word “Satan” (haSatan) in Hebrew means “The Accuser” and even uses our own pronoun saying, “God hates me.” “God is angry with me.” “I am a terrible person.” These are the words from the devil roaring at you “like a lion.”
So, is the King angry with me? Absolutely NOT!
God has promised that after Jesus’ death for us, burial, and resurrection, explained in Isaiah 53, Isaiah 54 says:
Isaiah 54:9-10
“For this is like the waters of Noah to me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah will no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke you. For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed; but my loving kindness will not depart from you, and my covenant of peace will not be removed,” says the LORD who has mercy on you.
Jesus paid (redeemed) for our sins. Therefore, God no longer has wrath towards us, but grace (loving kindness) and mercy. Call upon Him and give Him thanks.
Romans 8:32
He who didn’t spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things?
Happy Thanksgiving!
Reference
1. Pres. Lincoln’s Thanksgiving proclamation https://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/thanks.htm
Joseph Prince – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtNHO414gNI