Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Wrath

The file cabinet felt it.  My wrath.  Lack of sleep.  High stress.  Things not going right.  Explosion.

It happens to me now and again.  It's been awhile as I've learned to cope with life better and as I've learned to see obstacles in my life differently.  Last night, it was unjustified anger targeted to the closest thing I could find at the moment.  

I really, really wonder what God's wrath looks like.  Look at this beautiful world he created and see all the horrific things that man does and try to convince me that God doesn't get angry.  I think too many people today want to see him as the warm, fuzzy grandfather who indulges his children's silliness.  While I want him to treat me that way, I just can't believe that is always the case with God.  

Children abused.  Let's not get angry, especially you God.  Rape, murder, emotional violence, manipulation...let's not get angry.  Especially you God.  

I don't have the answers, just questions.  I'm no great theologian, just a guy who knows how I feel sometimes when I've taken all I can take and know it leads to extreme anger.  Do I think God hits inanimate objects for stress relief?  I doubt it but sure think he has better impulse control than I do.  Still, I get angry about the silliest things.  If someone hurt one of my babies...I shudder to think what I might do.  

I believe God's wrath is real.  I believe people who ignore his love and choose to walk outside his direction will be judged.  Do I think he's sending someone to hell for littering?  Not so much.  Do I think he's going to punish those who do bad, bad things to people without care for anyone or anything.  I do.  I don't know what it will look like and I don't have much desire to figure it out...that is God's business.  I just want to live in his mercy and grace, be a better disciple today than I was yesterday and the day before and the day before that and reflect Christ-likeness to someone today.

Grace and peace.

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