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[0:00] A pastor's reflections deserving. Exodus 32, 14.! Jeremiah 29, 11.

[0:11] For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Romans 8, 1.

[0:22] There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. How glorious is the heart of God towards his people and how terrifying the reality of the effects of sin.

[0:36] We too often take our sin and the results of that sin far too lightly. Our God is a God of love, grace, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, truth, righteousness, and patience.

[0:49] And yet not even this great God who himself is love could just set aside sin. Sin, in a sense, defeated God.

[1:00] And so it was for that reason that the God of love would come himself to defeat sin through his sacrifice. And so regain relationship with created man.

[1:12] Not only is God love, but his is the ultimate love. John 15, 13. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

[1:27] In Exodus 32, 14. Our great God of love has turned away his anger at sin for the sake of mercy. Because of one who chose to intercede between a righteous God and an unrighteous people.

[1:42] That intercessor allowed the mercy of God to be expressed upon a people that justly deserved the wrath of God. Through intercession, God is free to express his nature of love.

[1:55] Did the people deserve God's love? No. But how wonderful to read that God's thoughts towards his people were turned from evil to blessing.

[2:08] Even today, we often feel like we are under God's wrath. We know what our sins deserve. And we therefore assume that God is thinking along those same lines.

[2:19] However, because of our intercessor, Jesus, God no longer thinks those thoughts of wrath against us. All of those justly deserved thoughts of wrath were placed upon Jesus at the cross.

[2:33] So that now, all of the thoughts of God towards us are no longer wrath, but grace. When God thinks of you, he does not think of your sin, but of Jesus' righteousness.

[2:45] Does that mean that sin does not matter? Not at all. Sin is a terrible and destructive force that no longer needs to be a part of our lives.

[2:58] Today, let the word of God remind you of the love of God. A love that is not based upon what you deserve, but upon the sacrifice of the one who deserves your love.

[3:12] Father, thank you that wrath was swallowed up in mercy. Thank you for the greatness of your mercy to overcome the greatness of my sin. Help me to never take lightly something so serious and so costly as your love.

[3:27]  Amen.