Do you ever think about God’s wrath and his mercy?
Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, ‘Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.’ Revelation 16:1
Holy, Wrathful, and Merciful Judge,
We confess, your wrath is not our favorite subject.
It’s true, we may avoid it because of violent street-corner preachers
who scream at us at a stoplight,
but nonetheless, the Bible teaches that you will judge your enemies,
those who rebel against you,
those who refuse to name you as the Lord of the universe,
those who prefer to rule their own lives.
Today, help us to consider your wrath
in the context of what we know about you and ourselves:
You are a holy God,
perfectly just, perfectly righteous,
so your wrath is not the impulsive, violent anger
of a power-hungry abuser.
We have all “sinned and fall short of” your glory (Romans 3:23).
Our sin is dark, complex, toxic, and destructive.
You are compassionate and merciful,
and because you are,
despite your people’s rebellion,
you “atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them…”;
you “restrained your anger often
and did not stir up your wrath” (Psalm 78:38).
We long for justice to be done,
for evil to be eradicated,
for the day of no more
racism,
abuse,
genocide,
murder,
rape,
or any other betrayal of your love
or demeaning of the dignity
of your image-bearers.
You send us out to share the good news of your grace,
to invite others to know your love and kindness
and mercy and forgiveness.
Help us to see you rightly
so that we may thank you
for your appropriate and deserved wrath
against all evil.
In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.
Read Revelation 15-19; Psalm 78:38; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:6-9
