April 8, 2025 Devo

Did you grow up believing in an “angry” God? Many of us did. God was presented in such a harsh way that it didn’t seem as if He truly loved us. He simply tolerated us. If we didn’t say our prayers, read our Bibles, or go to Sunday School, we could expect bad things to happen as punishment from God. Later I realized that this image of God was actually used as a tool to keep us children in line. It didn’t, of course. Most of us still acted out, misbehaved, and outright sinned. What it did do, however, was skew our image of God and make us fearful of seeking God out when we finally faced how much of a mess we’d made of our lives.
Compare that image of an angry God to the one David describes in our verse today. “His anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime!” His description reminded me of how we are as parents. When our kids do something stupid and hurt themselves, there is that protective flash of anger that we feel. That anger comes from a place of love. We want to passionately protect those we care about—even if it’s protecting them from themselves!
But that flash of anger quickly gives way to caring, compassion, and grace. We want those who are hurt to find healing. We want those who are bound in chains to find freedom. We want those who are filled with shame to experience forgiveness and grace. We want GOOD for those we love, not bad. That’s why, though we may experience that flash of “How could you do this?”, it quickly gives way to comfort and care that can last hours, days, or weeks.
It’s the same with God. The flash of anger that God feels at our disobedience comes from a place of love. It’s His protective heart passionately wanting to protect His children. But that “moment” doesn’t compare to His lifelong favor for us. God loves us. He is FOR us and not against us. He’s not waiting for us to fail. He’s cheering for us to succeed. If you’ve failed, you don’t have to run from Him, hide from Him, or be afraid of Him. He’s not interested in hurting you, scolding you, or punishing you, so don’t let fear and shame keep you from experiencing His lifetime of favor. His arms are open wide to forgive you, help you, and heal you. God’s not angry. He’s just anxious for you to come home. That’s God’s Word for you today.