Fear and Love

Genesis 19:1-29 NIV

The story of Abraham, Lot, Sodom and Gomorrah can bring us to a better
understanding of two facets of God's character - His anger toward sin and
His patience and mercy toward those who commit sin. When we see what He did
to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, we get a clear indication of how He
feels about sin. His anger toward the sin of these two cities was so great
that He blew them off the face of the earth, killing the thousands who lived
there. And not only were they killed in a fiery blast, but they will spend
eternity in torment, unforgiven for what they did here on earth. That one
act, alone, should instill a healthy fear of God's wrath in every person on
earth! But then we look at Lot. pitiful, wimpy, sinful Lot. In spite of
his unworthiness, God saved him from destruction. because God is merciful.
He is patient. And His love is beyond our comprehension.

In our flesh, each of us deserves the same fate as the citizens of Sodom.
But because God loves us, He sent His Son to die for us on the cross.
Because He loves us, He makes it so very easy for us to obtain salvation. to
be forgiven for what we have done and for what we continue to do every day.
Because He loves us, He continues to be patient and merciful toward us every
day, every hour, every moment... That kind of love is incomprehensible.
That kind of love is something you and I cannot give. But we can receive
it. We can accept it. In it we can find hope in a world where there is no
hope. In it we can find peace in the midst of turmoil. In it we can find
understanding when no one around us understands. Only in Jesus can we find
what we all want so desperately - unconditional, irrevocable love.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still
sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 NIV

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