The Open Scroll

 One of the greatest tensions in the Christian world is trying to reconcile two seemingly different pictures of God. On one hand, we see a God who fiercely punishes wrongdoing—even when done in ignorance: Moses nearly struck down over circumcision (Exodus 4:24–26) Uzzah struck for touching the ark (2 Samuel 6:6–7) Judgment following David’s census (2 Samuel 24:15) Achan’s sin affecting a whole nation (Joshua 7:24–25) Generations suffering consequences of their fathers’ sins (Exodus 20:5) On the other hand, we see a God who appears to overlook even grave sins: David, yet called a man after God’s heart (Acts 13:22) Samson, counted among the faithful (Hebrews 11:32) Manasseh, restored after deep wickedness (2 Chronicles 33:12–13) Ahab, who humbled himself and received mercy (1 Kings 21:27–29) The Ninevites spared at Jonah’s preaching (Jonah 3:10) Even Lot and Abraham, with their flaws We are left asking: Who is this God? And so, two extremes emerge: Some...

“I prefer your presence over all these things.” “I still choose being with you over everything else.” How wonderful it is to hear words like these. Anyone would want to hear them. But consider this: If I have barely spent time with you, yet I say these words—would you believe me? Emotionally, you might. We, as humans, are deeply influenced by what we see and hear. Words can pull us in, especially in the right atmosphere. But if you pause… reflect… and allow reason to stand beside emotion—would you still believe me? Perhaps not. Not because the words were intentionally deceptive, but because they may have been spoken hastily—born out of emotion rather than conviction. What Does “Preference” Really Mean? At its core, preference implies experience. To say “I prefer your presence over all these things” suggests that I have encountered both—your presence and “all these things”—and have made a conscious choice. Preference is not imagined. It is experienced. “Taste and see that the Lord is g...