Is God Mad at Me?

The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. Jeremiah 31:3 NIV

As I tucked my 10-year-old son into bed the other night, he asked me a question. He often asks the deepest questions just before bedtime. (Sometimes I think it is a stalling tactic!) Before I give you the question, I need to give you some information to help you understand the basis for the question.

My son and I had been discussing the definition of sin. A hypothetical scenario he gave me was if he were in a grocery store and saw a candy bar. He really wanted the candy bar, but he didn't have any money, so he considered stealing it. He went as far as to plan it out in his mind, even picked it up, but he felt convicted and never took it. He wanted to know if that would be sin. I explained to him what Jesus had to say about fulfilling the law. He said adultery could be committed simply by lusting in one's heart, so I did think carrying the petty theft out in his mind would have been sin, even though he never actually took the candy bar. I went on to explain to him that that was exactly why we needed a Savior, because it was impossible for us to fulfill the whole law.

Now, back to the bedtime question. As I bent over to kiss my son good night, he asked me, "Daddy, if I can sin just by the things I think about, then does God get mad at me when I do?" Wow! Good question! I spent the next thirty minutes explaining to my precious child the depth of God's love for him, and how, in my opinion, God had never been mad at him.

You see, all Nathaniel had to relate to was his relationship to his earthly father. Sure, I have been mad at him before. There have even been times when I had to go back to him and apologize for my reactions and my attitude. What he needed to understand is that God is the Perfect Father. He is not imperfect like me. God's love is so pure, so complete, so unconditional.

Dear friend, do you have this nagging feeling that God is mad at you? Sure, your life has been plagued by sin. You have not lived the life God would want you to live. While He is not pleased with that, and you may miss blessings because of sin, God's love for you is unwavering! God's not mad at you! God can't change His love for you. The Bible says that NOTHING can separate you from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus! NOTHING!

You are loved today by a lovely God! Don't judge Him by what you have experienced in this world. He is God. His love is perfect. His love is secure. His love for you is forever!