Daily Devotional with Dr. Duane Brooks
March 23, 2017
Psalm 103:8-10 
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.
 He will not always accuse,
    nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
    or repay us according to our iniquities.
New International Version (NIV)
                    How do you see God?  Walking through the Sistine Chapel last summer I looked up at the great artist Michelangelo's portrayal of God reaching out to Adam.  It is magnificent art portraying God reaching out to the man he has created.

                More specifically, do you see God as angry with you?  Is he a senile benevolence that you can pat on the head?  Is he so distant and disinterested that you can have no contact with him at all? 

                David, a man after God's own heart knew God.  We can read it in these words.  The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.  This is better than Michelangelo!  David who had sinned notoriously, found that God was full of compassion, grace and love.  Do we know this God?  David continues:  he will not always accuse or harbor his anger.  Nor does he treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.  Why not?  He repaid his own Son Jesus for our iniquities on the cross.  He does not collect debts which have already been paid in full. 

                I know we sin.  I pray that we confess our sins and turn from them.  But when we do, can we trust that God will forgive?  Or have we gone one sin too far?  Do you ever feel you have to earn his favor again by living a period of time in mourning over sin, even after you have confessed?  Karl Barth's words adorn my wall in my own handwriting on a blue sticky note:  "Every day we ought to begin, we may begin with the confession:  I believe in the forgiveness of sins."  I know you believe that God forgives others.  Do you believe that he forgives you?  Believe it.
Pray with me:  
Father, thank you for revealing your character and nature to us through the words of King David.  Forgive us for forgetting who you are, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.  We might have lived this whole day in self-loathing because we believe that you always accuse and harbor anger and repay us according to our sins.  Today we thank you because Jesus paid it all!  All to him we owe.  Sin had left a crimson stain.  He washed it white as snow.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.      
I want to invite you to join me in memorizing 52 passages this year from the 2017 set of Fighter Verses.  You can find the Fighter Verses App at the App Store on your phones or via this link  http://fighterverses.com/the-verses/fighter-verses/. As we study the Bible this year, let's look at each text and learn what it says about God. 
Joyfully, 
Duane 
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