Understanding the loving kindness of the Lord!
Ps 107:43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.
I've heard so many people who hate God state how awful and mean He is. They love to point out all the evil in the world, and all the horrible things that happen. At the same time, many of these people deny that they've ever done anything wrong and say they don't have anything to repent of, justifying their actions. Proud, boastful, vain and lustful people who have done no wrong in their estimation.
Even some people who profess to be Christians question God, wondering how He can make so many awful things happen, like natural disasters that destroy so much property and kill so many people.
When I hear these things I wonder if the person saying it has ever read the entire Bible? Do they understand the longsuffering of God? How He has put up with proud, boastful, vain and lustful people for several thousand years, choosing not to destroy them in favor of waiting it out so He can take the meek and humble with Him when this chapter of His story is complete?
I mean, do they understand how evil men have become in their own arrogance? Do they understand how many times He's saved His people after they turned against Him in their pride and vanity? Do they understand that God made us and designed us for His good pleasure? Mankind is destroying the planet He gave us charge of, turning all the things God designed us for inside out and upside down with homosexuality, pride, and the idea that God is all about us, instead of us being all about Him.
At what point can we thumb our noses at our creator and expect Him to just "love" us in our sin?
Do these people understand that their sin has made the world what it is today?
Take a look at Hosea 4:2-3 You make vows and break them; you kill and steal and commit adultery. There is violence everywhere, one murder after another. That is why your land is in mourning, and everyone is wasting away. Even the wild animals, the birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea are disappearing.
It's because of the evil men do every day. Lying, killing, stealing, committing sexual sin, etc...
We need to put the focus back where it belongs. On our sin.
God is so longsuffering and patient, waiting for the precious fruit of the earth (those who love Him).
James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
He's allowing the weeds to grow with the good crop in order to not destroy any of the good while tearing out the weeds.
Matt 13:24 The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares ? 28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares , ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares , and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
When all is said and done, God will take those who love Him with Him into eternity and destroy those who hate Him.
He's so loving and kind that He Himself came to die for the penalty of our sin!
Jer 9:24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness , judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.