Last time we were reflecting (after all, the blog is called “Reflections…”!)on the great forgiveness of our Lord and Savior. How He just loves to free us from our sins. He’s just crazy about you…and me! In our Scripture for today, the Old Testament Prophet Micah talks about God’s anger not lasting forever. God lets go of our sins. He pardons and forgives us when we humbly come to Him in repentance–just like children to a loving parent. And then we learn that ‘He delights to show mercy'(verse 18). If it were me, I’d forgive but with lots of strings attached or with applause of self-congratulations at how generous I am! Feed and stroke my ego, if you want me to forgive you! Not our God, though– thank God! He delights to forgive us who are ‘His inheritance'(verse 18). He loves to give and lives to give and forgive. That’s quite a world of difference in attitude between God and me. You too? Maybe I’m the only one! But there’s more in these Scriptures as we stay with the same thought from last time. Micah tells us that God has a great big heart of ‘compassion'(verse 19). Compassion means to feel for others, to have a passion that seeks to get close to someone else with whatever they are going through,not just the good times but all the time. I remember taking a social mobility test years ago for a job I wanted. I had no idea what the questions were leading to, what they were concluding about me. I had no idea, silly me. But I was honest and answered all those weird questions about how I would handle a situation or how I’d best like to use my free time or whatever as I can’t remember all of the questions right now. And what did they conclude about me, personally? My social mobility? I couldn’t believe it, what I was seeing on paper. They said I was ‘distant and aloof’. How dare they! I’m going off by myself and they can just go fly a kite!! Well, I got the job anyway, and did rather well indeed. Who knows, I may be a bit distant and aloof, but what I do know for sure is that God is not. No way, Jose! He’s filled with compassion, with feeling for us. He loves us and loves to be there with us and for us. Remember, whatever happens to us as believers in Jesus Christ, we’re in good hands. So, keep repeating over and over again–‘I’m in good hands’. And you are. And so am I. But wait, I’ve got more for next time so keep reading those couple verses from our friend, the Prophet Micah! Are you with me?