When someone wrongs you, do something very terrible like burns down your house, and takes everything you have, you would find it very hard to forgive him. But if you are a very nice person, you may find it in your heart to forgive him.

But what if that someone is a person whom you’ve bestowed many favors, you pay for his lunch everyday, you help him whenever he is in need.  He burns your house down and takes everything you have, for no other reason than personal greed and lack of respect for you? Would you forgive him?

I wonder why we take rather lightly God’s forgiveness of our wrongdoings when we know ourselves how hard it is to forgive someone else?

In Isaiah, we often think God’s judgment of His people is harsh, yet in Isaiah 4 and many proclamations of Isaiah, God offers his forgiveness. Why should God forgive at all a people who is like the person who burns down your house and takes everything you have?

We should not think of God as an angry God who judges, but rather marvel at His mercy to forgive.

The Lord will wash the filth from beautiful Zion
and cleanse Jerusalem of its bloodstains
with the hot breath of fiery judgment. ~ Isaiah 4:4

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