Through the prophet Isaiah, God affirmed that, irrespective of circumstances, He would not retract His grace and compassion from any individual (Isaiah 54:10). God remains faithful to His promise even today, having given His only Son as atonement for our sin, despite our unworthiness in His sight. His grace and compassion transcend our shortcomings, saving us from the eternal death that awaited us, even while we were oblivious to our plight and to His love. This represents the fundamental characteristic of God, which in contemporary times has been largely overshadowed by middlemen, leading to a prevailing sense of uncertainty among believers regarding prescribed dos and don’ts.
Glorious and Majestic are His Deeds
Praise the LORD.
I will extol the LORD with all my heart
in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
Great are the works of the LORD;
they are pondered by all who delight in them.
Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
and his righteousness endures forever. – Psalms 111:1-3 (NIV)
To see God as a glorious and majestic God, one should grasp His agape love. Lacking the understanding of His unconditional love may lead us to miss His glorious and majestic deeds. What we perceive in our minds is limited to those thoughts and we fail to see the majestic deeds of God, because our thoughts are far from His ways and thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). If we do not love Him, the same Words and Deeds of God would harm us instead of saving us. Paul experienced this attitude among the hearers of the Gospel and he recorded the following statement:
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. – 1 Corinthians 1:18 (NIV)
Only those individuals who genuinely cherish His love are able to remember Him consistently, irrespective of the variations in their circumstances. This underscores the reality that if we do not extend our love to Him, it becomes apparent that we prioritise worldly attachments, thus failing to grasp His truth.
Grace is Misunderstood
He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the LORD is gracious and compassionate.
He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.
He has shown his people the power of his works,
giving them the lands of other nations. – Psalms 111:4-6 (NIV)
Though the love of God ought to be commemorated, it is disheartening to note that even individuals who formerly embraced the message of the cross and turned to Jesus are now misled by various spiritual leaders who propagate the notion that God’s compassion is extended solely to those who demonstrate a sense of fear towards Him. Many have misconstrued the concept of God’s unconditional love as being contingent due to misleading teachings.
The encouragement from Paul to the Corinthian church, which had previously vowed to support the impoverished in Jerusalem but later exhibited reluctance in fulfilling that pledge, has become a pivotal point for God’s servants in motivating believers to contribute financially. Adopting this misguided notion, they claim that God loves only the cheerful givers. The Psalms declare that He provides sustenance for those who fear Him; however, this notion does not align with the God who provides for both the righteous and the unrighteous alike (Matthew 5:45). Individuals are often persuaded that the sick must attain greater holiness by engaging in mere religious rituals in order to receive healing. The Bible states that everyone who calls upon the name of the LORD shall be saved, regardless of their transgressions (Romans 10:13).
His power is exemplified in this era of grace by disarming the powers and authorities that framed charges against us, rendering them a public spectacle. Accordingly, the significance of His work is not found in granting us lands and properties, whether of our own or of others, but rather in nullifying the legal indebtedness that was previously held against us (Colossians 2:13-15). Even Jesus articulated this basic truth to the individual who requested His assistance in resolving the property dispute with his brother (Luke 12:13-15).
Our God is Trustworthy
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.
They are established for ever and ever,
enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.
He provided redemption for his people;
he ordained his covenant forever—
holy and awesome is his name. – Psalms 111:7-9 (NIV)
In this world, one can solely place their trust in God; however, it is often the case that believers do not initially do so, choosing instead to rely on human beings until they come to the realization that no one on earth is truly trustworthy. It is only after acquiring this vital life lesson that they begin to place their faith in God. The LORD has expressly warned humanity against placing their trust in man (Jeremiah 17:5). While God admonishes against trusting in human beings, He does not prohibit us from extending love towards our fellow man. Nevertheless, in light of this warning, individuals are frequently inclined to trust others rather than genuinely love them.
God determined to grant us salvation from eternal death even before the foundation of this world, and there exists no one greater than Himself by whom to swear. Yet, He chose to enact this salvation when the time was fulfilled. God provided redemption for His people in accordance with His will, and He remains unwavering in His resolve. His covenant is everlasting, just as He is eternal.
The Fear of the LORD
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise.- Psalms 111:10 (NIV)
The fear of the LORD is regarded as the foundation of wisdom, a spiritual principle often employed by parents and pastors who believe that instilling fear in the minds of children and congregants will compel adherence to their instructions grounded primarily in religious norms, rather than fostering genuine obedience to God. The obligation to obey parents and pastors frequently supersedes the essential duty of obeying God. Despite Jesus’ assertion that God is not pleased by sacrifices and offerings, believers are often coerced by religious leaders into repeatedly performing rituals that have become obsolete in the era of grace (Hebrews 10:5-6).
Knowing well how these false teachers instill fear in the minds of individuals, God repeatedly instructs His people not to fear and instead to focus on His love and grace. Upon receiving the message of the Gospel, God bestows His Spirit to safeguard our faith until we exchange it for eternal life (Ephesians 1:13-14). As the Holy Spirit enters our hearts, He pours the love of God into our hearts, protecting us from all shame (Romans 5:5). When an individual personally experiences this agape love, it inspires a reverent fear of acting contrary to God’s will; this fear arises from love and a conscience that recognizes the imperative not to make God sad, who loves us even when we lived unworthy of His affection (Romans 5:8). This awareness constitutes the beginning of wisdom.
Father God, grant us a heart that loves You perpetually, not fearing punishment, but in reverence for the sanctity of our status as Your children. Amen.
The Jordan Valley 
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