Undeserved love

Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. 

We are the clay, you are the potter; 

we are all the work of your hand. 

Do not be angry beyond measure, O LORD; 

do not remember our sins forever. 

Oh, look upon us, we pray, 

for we are your people.                                       Isa. 64.8,9

The Israelites are crying out to God in their despair and desperation of His possible punishment of them. They call Him “Father”, reminding Him of the fact. Do they think that He needs reminding? I believe His disappointment with them would not have been so severe if He did not see them as His children.

They remind Him they are the work of His hand, made in His own image. I feel it’s rather late to remember this when they have behaved so badly. Only a deeply loving Father could receive them back after such atrocious behaviour.

In crying out to God as their Father what, I wonder, do the Israelites think of their own behaviour? They now re-assert their relationship to Him as Father and hope they might persuade Him to be lenient with them. But what of them? If they had remembered who they were (children of God) when tempted to act contrary to His ways, would they not have brought themselves in to line?

It is so convenient to seek to give God responsibility for our actions. He has given us free will. We need to take up the responsibility that is ours, and not pass it onto the supreme and pure Being who calls us His children.

The Israelites prayed that God would not remember their sins forever. Fortunately, He is our most loving Father and we can look to Him for forgiveness.

Holy and forgiving Father,

I realise and acknowledge how blessed I am to be Your child. Like the Israelites, I do not always do what is right. Please forgive me. May I also seek encouragement from You and ask for Your leading and guiding?                       Amen.