The Lord proclaims: 'The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.' It's almost like a proclamation of identity - this is who I am at my core.
I've been in churches where God was primarily understood as judge, others where He was primarily the cosmic therapist. This verse suggests something more complex: God is both completely just and completely merciful. Those aren't contradictions; they coexist.
When I wrestle with God about suffering or injustice, I come back to this name. I'm not arguing with a one-dimensional being. The God who is slow to anger is also the God who will not leave injustice unpunished. The God who is merciful is also faithful to truth.
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