God is gracious.
Deut 9:6 (NKJV)
"Therefore understand that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stiff-necked people."
It is the nature of God to be gracious. He is exceedingly gracious. Even under the law, He couldn't help but be gracious, how much more in the dispensation of Grace! Oh, God is grace, just as He is love. He is the personification of love, truth, mercy and grace.
It is clear from scriptures that even though God gave the Israelites the law - which was meant to be the working or contractual document, as it were, in His dealings with them - He still went outside the strict and ridiculous confines of the law in His dealings with them.
Our reference clearly reveals that it was not the righteousness of the Israelites (adherence to the law of Moses) that made God give them "a land flowing with milk and honey", No, not at all. It was because of His exceeding graciousness. They were a rebellious and incredibly annoying people, but God was exceedingly gracious to them. They were the very same people given the law - where they had to earn their blessings from God - yet God blessed them when they didn't deserve it.
Moreover, David, who was also under the law, enjoyed the manifold grace of God because God referred to him as "a man after my own heart" even though he had his flaws, lots of them. On one occasion, David said "The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion" (Psa 116:5). On another occasion, he said "The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy" (Psa 145:8). How did he come to that realization? God showed him so much grace, mercy and compassion even though he made lots of mistakes.
Friends, with evidence aplenty, I am convinced beyond every doubt that being gracious is the very nature of God. Eph 2:5-6 (KJV) says "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus". Col 2:15 adds that He forgave us all our trespasses in the process. All these He did, when we were dead in sins. Beloved, this is grace! No wonder Paul concludes that we have been saved by grace (Eph 2:8) and John added of His fullness (of grace), we all have received, and grace for grace (John 1:18).
Beloved, you will do well to note that God is even more gracious today because of the sacrifice of his Son Jesus! Jesus has paid the price. He has fulfilled and abolished the law (Eph 2:15). So, there's no "handwriting of requirements" (Col 2:14) reminding Him that we haven't done our part, that we haven't met the terms and conditions for His blessings, so He just gets down to business and blesses us. There's also the precious blood of Jesus speaking, cheering, motivating, spurring Him on to bless us. Glory to God! So, see God being exceedingly gracious to you and basque in His grace and love. And if you make a mistake, remember the scripture "let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16 NKJV). God bless you.
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