For a very long time I held in my mind a very warped image of God. Someone with a big stick waiting to whack me when I did wrong. After the whack, it meant that He would not want to have anything to do with me for the next few days. I felt that if I was guilty of a sin, I had no business trying to help anyone with their struggles; as if God's voice was saying, " Who are you to talk to someone else when you are guilty of the same thing. I was afraid to embrace marriage, because I felt that because I was in an adulterous relationship before, God was going to wait till I was married to make my husband cheat on me. I did not understand that God was not a God of Karma.
Of all the majestic names of God my favorite is Abba Father, even simpler- Daddy.
I have been reprimanded for wrong doing several times by my earthly father, but he never turned his back on me because of what I did. It always amazes me that when a young girl becomes pregnant under controversial circumstances, all the hoopla is over when the baby is born, it is as though the drama never happened.
Isn't our God an even greater parent. Most of the time the only one pointing the finger is the person we see in the mirror.
I read the story of Jonah several times, but it recently dawned on me that even after Jonah blatantly ran the other way in disobedience to God, God still chose him to witness to the people of Nineveh. Jonah had just finished demonstrating his own waywardness. Who was he to tell others about their behavior? Jonah embraced his second chance.
Though God's mercy is not our ticket to "sin splurge" and then ask for forgiveness. We disqualify ourselves by not receiving the second, third, and fourth chances God presents to us daily. Live again...there's no condemnation.
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