For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away His face from you,

if you return to Him. 2 Chronicles 30:9

Character counts. You’ve heard the saying. You know what it means. You really can’t trust what someone says or promises unless they have a reputation of honesty and integrity. Character counts.

We would do well to remember the virtue and implication of outstanding character when it comes to reading the Bible. God’s character, His reputation, is without question. Therefore, we can unswervingly trust and rely on each and every one of His promises. We can take Him at His word.

Just ponder for a few minutes on this one truth in 2 Chronicles 30. God issues forth a wonderful promise. If we return to Him, He will not turn away from us. That promise is sure because it is grounded in the very character of God. He is gracious and merciful!

If we have lost our way, if we have turned from Christ, if we have relied on others or things to satisfy our hearts, if we have indulged in sin, if we are weary and worn from trying to make it on our own, if we are ready for a new life, if we would simply return to Him…. If we would repent….

The question is not if God is really and truly gracious and merciful. The question is will we really and truly believe that He is. Will we take Him at His word? Will we trust that beholding His face is far more satisfying and life-giving and soul-saving than whatever lesser thing we’ve been beholding?