Sinners in the hands of an angry God?

DAILY BYTE

The word, “sinner,” is a useful and undoubtedly truthful word. But it also feels antiquated to me. It reminds me of the 18th century Jonathan Edwards sermon that was actually entitled, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” – where a wrathful God reigns down vengeance upon a people who have succumbed to evil.

And I think I resent the word “sinner” – because it sounds like an immovable label to me, placed on me by people who dwell on that wrathful God.

It sounds like something I can’t shake – being a sinner. Such that I keep hammering away at God through my sins – making God angry, chipping away at God’s love and God’s ability to do good through me such that I’m pretty much doomed to live a life not necessarily filled with God’s wrath – but even just a life doomed to the death of mediocrity.

As though God’s displeasure means I’m stuck in a life that feels blunt and stunted – not passionately powerful.

Do you ever feel like this about your sin? Maybe not all the time, but if you’re honest with yourself, do such thoughts ever cross your mind?

Well, consider this:

Once upon a time, there was a piece of iron that was very strong. One after another, the axe, the saw, the hammer and the flame tried to break it. ‘I’ll master it,’ said the axe. Its blows fell heavily on the iron, but every blow made its edge more blunt, until it ceased to strike.

‘Leave it to me,’ said the saw, and it worked backwards and forwards on the iron’s surface until its jagged teeth were all worn and broken. Then it fell aside.

‘Ah!’ said the hammer. ‘I knew you wouldn’t succeed. I’ll show you the way.’ But at the first blow, off flew its head and the iron remained as before.

‘Shall I try?’ asked the small, soft flame. ‘Forget it,’ all replied. ‘What can you do?’

But the flame curled around the iron, embraced it and never left it until the iron melted under the flame’s irresistible influence.

(An Aesop’s Fable out of One Hundred Wisdom Stories from Around the World by Margaret Silf)

I am convinced through my own experience and through the witness of the scriptures that God is not angrily bashing away at us, peeved that we can’t seem to get things right.

God is not furiously sawing off our offending limbs, although there are parts of us that need to be pruned sometimes...

Does it ever occur to us that God is like that flame curled around the iron, embracing it and never leaving until the iron melts under the flame’s irresistible influence?

Has it ever occurred to us that even if we’re not, God is patient with us, as we struggle with our sin?

GUIDING SCRIPTURE

Psalm 32:5 (NRSV)

Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Lord, sometimes we are stubbornly hard and immovable, as iron. We are hardened and full of guilt because of our sin. But teach us to dare to believe that you are more patient with us than we are with ourselves. Allow us to be fired and remolded by your tender persistence without being afraid. Amen.