No Wrath—Just Love

One reader writes to remind me that God is “a God of eternal wrath.”

Sorry—no wrath, eternal or otherwise.

I know Paul talks about the wrath of God. I could try to twist the scripture here to save Paul’s words.

Instead, I’ll just tell the truth: God ain’t mad.

Never has been.

Never will be.

Jesus had a thing against anger. He says being mad at someone demeans that person’s value. It is a serious sin (Matthew 5:21-26).

It can get us into trouble.

But—it won’t make God mad at us.

In spite of our sins, God has only love for us.

Five hundred years ago, the great Julian of Norwich had an extensive near-death experience at the age of 30. She met the Lord face to face.

As a Catholic of the Middle Ages, she was very aware of human sin.

But she was surprised.

She expected some wrath against the sinner. But she found no anger in God.

Just love. Just kindness. Just grace.

And in the millions of experiences people have had of God through the ages, not one person has met a God of wrath.

Yes, some experienced hell, but that was never God’s doing. God is the one who breaks into that torment to pull them out.

Unconditional love is love that is never altered by any situation. It is pure, unmixed with anything.

God IS love.

This has become very clear to us in the St. Matthew class on NDEs.

We are not just loved; we are cherished.

As one NDEer put it, “Each one of us is God’s favorite person.”

Loved—as you are. Loved—forever.

Live with it.

(Sunday at 11:00.)