Nahum 1:3

The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

Some days an 80 feels different than others. It’s similar to expecting something different when we open a paycheck or tax rebate envelope. We expected more because of the effort we expended or the income we remitted. Similarly, we feel as if we deserved better after some rounds and then others we feel fortunate to put down the same score. We feel like our actions are deserving of a better result.

In Nahum, we read about our powerful God who is slow to anger, but is also jealous. He is not jealous of us, but is jealous for us because He knows our closeness in relationship matures our righteousness and holiness. Spurgeon preached that “God’s sword of justice is in its scabbard: not rusted in it – it can be easily withdrawn – but held there by that hand that presses it back into its sheath, crying, ‘Sleep, O sword, sleep; for I will have mercy upon sinners, and will forgive their transgressions.'” He will not and cannot acquit sin by any other means other than justification by the perfect sacrifice of His son. We deserved much less and are unable to argue our own blameless through any other means.

Thankfully, believers are the only people who are guaranteed to not get what is deserved. The lost will receive justice and when justice is rendered, the party fully realizes the justness of the verdict. The believer receives undeserved grace and mercy through the Lord Jesus Christ. Mercy is mercy because by its nature, it is not deserved. We were lost and at enmity with a righteous and just God. It is bestowed despite our past and present revolting.

Thankfully, our “score” is not reflective of our worth to Christ. All our works and accomplishments which are not done for His glory are insufficient and worthless. That’s a hard realization for the times when we thought we were successful and things worked out to our benefit. It is only through His blood that our soul and actions are purified. Thankfully, we serve a merciful Savior who made us blameless in the eyes of God. As we grown stronger and closer to His side, we realize we are getting “better than we deserve!”