A Tough and Tender God Who Forgives Our Sins!
He's tough--our God demands holiness and righteousness. He will not tolerate sin or deception. His standards are high. His commandments are hard. His boundaries are straight and narrow...We need a God like that, but can we LOVE a God like that?
We sure can...for the "tough" One is also the "tender" One--even as He deals with our sins. He knows we cannot meet the high qualifications on the list. And in His loving mercy, He sent a Savior, One who could forgive us our sins, place us in right standing with the Father, covering us with His own righteousness. We are "accepted in the beloved" because of the work of HIS Beloved Son! He'll keep working on us, conforming us into the image of His Son. He's tough and He'll make us tow the line--but He's also tender--and that's the kind of God I choose to serve, how about you!
A Tough and Tender God Who Forgets Our Failures!
He's tough--our God knows how to confront us with our wrongdoings. He knows how to handle us when we fall--and how to forget when we fail and 'fess up! He pulls no punches about what we've done, but He pulls us up on our feet to start again--and that's tough! We need a God like that, but can we LOVE a God like that?
We sure can...for the "tough" One is also a "tender" One--even in our failures. He sees our repentant hearts, He knows our broken spirits--and He doesn't "break a bruised reed." He will lovingly restore us and renew our fellowship with Himself. He's a God of the Second Chance--ask Peter! He's a tender Lord who doesn't beat us when we're down. He picks us up, dusts us off, washes, cleanses, and puts us back on the path again. What a God--that's the kind of God I choose to serve, how about you!
A Tough and Tender God Who Fulfills His Word!
He's tough--our God knows each commandment we break, each law we ignore and each consequence we must pay. His Word must be fulfilled. His Words are hard ones--it's not easy to turn the other cheek, to forgive when we're wronged, to love when we're hated, to show grace when we've been hurt. That's diametrically opposed to the values and lifestyles of this world--and it's tough--but He demands it! We need a God like that, but can we LOVE a God like that?
We sure can...for the "tough" One is also the "tender" One--even in His Word. The same Word of God that reveals His law also reveals His grace. The same Word that convicts also cleanses. The same Word that corrects also comforts. We can depend on His Word to wash whatever needs washing; to bind up whatever's broken. He will fulfill His wonderful Word. What a God--that's the kind of God I choose to serve, how about you!
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