even in the law

Today in the One Year Bible, we read the Ten Commandments. We read them in Exodus 19:16-21:21. And this is where God is really laying down the law. Literally. He gives the law to Moses to give to the people, and He tells Moses not to let the people come up the mountain while He's doing it or they will die.

And He gives us some very strict laws that we are to follow in order to receive eternal life. If you think that's too strong, reread what Jesus said when asked what a person must do to be saved.

But right in the middle of His giving us the very strict and formal law that will govern (or SHOULD govern) human behavior for millennia... right in the middle of that, He shows us His incredible love and mercy. He points out that while He does visit the consequences of sin onto the third and fourth generation of the sinners.... He BLESSES a thousand generations of those who love Him and do what He says.

God makes a point repeatedly throughout the Bible to tell us how loving, merciful, and forgiving He is. That should do two things for us: One, it should remind us that we're NEVER beyond His forgiveness. No matter what we've done or said, He is MORE than willing to forgive us and bring us back to Him, filling us up with His love again.

And second, it reminds us how loving, kind, and forgiving we should be to others. No matter what they've done (even if they show enormous disrespect by ripping up someone's speech!), we should love them and forgive them. Because He taught us how.

God, thanks for being so loving and forgiving. Help us to be the same.