The Lord longs to be gracious

"Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!" (Isaiah 30:18)

What an inspirational verse this is to me. It always reminds that God is loving and that his very nature being love moves him to be gracious to me. I worship him because he is good. I will wait for him because good will come.

This message from the Lord was written to a nation who had become corrupt. They rejected the Lord's console and protection (vs 2-3). They had become rebellious, deceitful and unwilling to listen to the Lord's instruction (vs 9). They didn't want to hear the words of the prophets nor be told about the Lord (vs 10-11). Although they were being oppressed by a foreign nation, they did not seek the Lord for help.

How does Love respond to the antithesis of love? It must oppose it. Kindness is grieved by cruelty. Truth recoils at deception. The Giver seeks no communion with the selfish. Yet in all this God does not stop desiring to be gracious. He calls out patiently for reconciliation. To those who hate the Love he calls for repentance--the changing of the heart:

This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. You said, 'No, we will flee on horses.' Therefore you will flee! You said, 'We will ride off on swift horses.' Therefore your pursuers will be swift! " (Isaiah 30:15-16)

Though the obstinate want to flee from that which is good, The One who is Good still rises to show compassion. Just turn from fleeing away to fleeing toward. He will be gracious for that is what he longs to do.

Oh Lord, you give me comfort to know of you desire to be kind and good. You are patient with my selfishness and are ready to forgive and lead me on the path of love. Forgive me of my impatience, my quickness to anger, my lack of love. And lead me in the peace of Christ. Amen