Honoring God’s Wrath
written by Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“Look, the storm of the Lord! Wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest; it will burst upon the head of the wicked.”
Oh, how we Christians hate to hear about the wrath of God. Let me rephrase. We first-world Christians hate to hear about the wrath of God. Third-world Christians love to hear about the wrath of God!
For those of us in the first world, we hear about the wrath of God and fear our guilt and God’s divine punishment. To free ourselves from responsibility, we’ve individualized the Christian faith. But God often related to the creation not just individually, but also a corporate people. This particular passage talks about God’s wrath upon the “wicked” as a judgment upon nations who attacked Israel in unjust ways.
I’ve heard of African Churches where they celebrate God’s promise of wrath. They hold on to God’s wrath as a hope for justice in an unjust world. Groups of people in different African countries have experienced mass extermination at the hands of one group or another. In some cases, trusting in God’s wrath is their only hope. They do not fear God’s wrath because they trust God to be fair and just.
Today, think about your attitude toward God’s anger and wrath. What fears come to mind? What guilt might you still be carrying? What misconceptions might you need to address? Then, think about how nations might inspire God’s wrath. What governments and peoples might need God’s divine protection? As you answer these questions, your concept of divine wrath might just change as well.
Get Daily Devotions Delivered to Your Inbox!
