Today's encouragement comes from Exodus 15:3 & 13a, which says this:
"The LORD is a Man of war; the LORD is His name. . . . You have led in Your steadfast love the people whom You have redeemed." (ESV)Note how God's warrior nature, and His love nature are not at all at odds with one another—and the same should be true of us who follow Jesus. If God was *not* a "Man of war," He could not be the God of love. The Lord goes to war with our sins and His church's enemies; and, in so doing, He expresses His deep affection for the elect sinners who receive Christ's redemption.
Let us cast off all sophomoric notions about God, that would make Him a weak figure in heaven, hoping we would do something right, for once. In-stead, let us view our Triune Sovereign in His true colors, even as the written word of God reveals Him: as a God who punishes all sin; and yet cherishes many sinners.
[Puritan quote of the day: "We need to understand that when we come to hear the Word, we come to hear that which has so much life in it that every sermon we hear we must expect to be nearer heaven or nearer hell.” —Jere-miah Burroughs, in, "Gospel Fear"]
