Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? Rom. 2:4
Heavenly Father, for the gift of another Monday, we praise you; for the privilege of meditating on the Scriptures, we worship you; for the promise of daily mercies and fresh grace, we adore you.
All of these good gifts converge in this one verse from Romans. The most certifiably insane thing we do is to show contempt for the riches of your kindness, forbearance, and patience. After all, this wonderful triad of graces will only Über us to the address called freedom, through the door of repentance.
Indeed, the Holy Spirit will never direct us to a destination of condemnation, but only to a place of greater liberty. When we resist the convicting work of the Spirit and refuse to humble ourselves, and when we “play dumb” about the ways we love poorly; when we try to justify bad attitudes that contradict the gospel, we’re filled with faithless folly. We’re worse than silly; we’re lethally foolish.
For you, Father, are immeasurably rich in the bullion of kindness, forbearance, and patience. There’s no economic downturn in heaven—never has been, never will be. And don’t let us ever forget: It’s only because of Jesus’ finished work on our behalf that we’re in a position to be dealt with so mercifully and graciously.
Thank you for leading us to humility, not to humiliation; to shelter, not to shame; to repentance, not to penance. Thank you for teaching us that repentance is collapsing on Jesus as our righteousness; not making vain promises we cannot and will not keep.
So kind Father, fill our week with the beauty of Jesus and quick repentances. Give us more joy this week in being convicted by the Holy Spirit than being congratulated by our peers. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ merciful and mighty name.
