Kindness

I spoke with a friend on the phone this morning who shared with me how he believed God was pursuing him out on a hike yesterday. He said that he "almost" put his faith in Jesus out there because he was so overwhelmed with an experience of God's goodness through nature.

My first response was to think that God does not work that way...he confronts sin. That is completely true, but not the way I was thinking it. Maybe God is showing kindness to a man who longs for kindness. Maybe the kindness will open the door of his heart to deal with the darkness...so that when the light of Jesus' holiness shines into his heart my friend will not run from the pain but know that the work being done is an act of love.

Maybe my God is more kind than I believe him to be.

"Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?"
     Romans 2:4

"...so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."
     Ephesians 2:7

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness...; against such things there is no law."
     Galatians 5:22-23

"And I will punish her for the feast days of the Baals
when she burned offerings to them
and adorned herself with her ring and jewelry,
and went after her lovers
and forgot me, declares the Lord.

Therefore, behold, I will allure her,
and bring her into the wilderness,
and speak tenderly to her."
     Hosea 2:13-14

In some ways, I think I still believe that I was saved reluctantly. In some ways I think that my Father kind of just puts up with me.

Who is this God of grace that seeks after stubborn, heard hearted people in a flood of kindness that would lead me to turn my eyes away from stupid things to treasure him because of his kindness?