Dear church,

Do you love God merely because he gives you good things – life, support, peace of mind? Or do you also love God because he is your deliverer?

The people of Israel were about to discover God not only as the giver of promises, but also as the God who brings his undeserving people out of bondage. He would become to them their rescuer. 

“I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself known to them.”

God was about to make himself known to his people as their Lord. This his God’s name, and it is connected with the ideas of deliverance, redemption, and freedom. It is connected to the idea of mercy.

If you have time today, read Psalms 105 and 106. They tell the story of Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt. The people don’t come across as glowing examples of faith in these texts. Rather, it is God who acts on his own accord. Psalm 106:8 says, “Yet he saved them for his name’s sake.”

There are other scriptures you could dive into today as well – Ezekiel 20:5-14 and Exodus 33:19.

If we are to love God fully, we must first recognize that God loves us and has provided mercy to us that is completely unmerited by anything we have done. God chose to save us from sin through Jesus Christ and the cross, and God chose to do this on his own accord.

Yes, he gives us good things. This life we live is proof of that. This beautiful season in the mountains is further evidence of God’s goodness.

But he is our Savior, our Deliverer, and our Redeemer. He saw us under slavery to sin, and he brought us out. 

I think God wants his children to see him in that light – as the one who simply acts in his lovingkindness to save people who really aren’t deserving of it. It is God’s nature to act this way. 

Our only response is gratitude.

Chris