Sometimes the varied descriptions of God found in the Bible give me a headache.

A few days ago I read the oft-quoted statement, God is love, found in 1 John 4:8. Then today I opened up the good book to discover this psalmist’s prayer: The Lord is a God who avenges. O God who avenges, shine forth.

Interesting juxtaposition—love and vengeance.

Many people I come across want to throw out the inconvenient descriptor of God (avenger) and hold tightly to the popular (lover). Clinging to the idea that God is all love feels better and in truth, allows for less thought and less inconvenient life change.

But what if the point is that I don’t get to choose?

To decide that God is all love, but to ignore God the avenger, is to create a god in my own image. I must weigh and consider all the scriptures reveal to me about the Lord. I don’t have the luxury to pick and choose. Wrestling with this breadth is more challenging and actually, much more interesting.

The Bible intersperses wonderful promises—God is love—with potent warnings—The Lord is a God who avenges. Clearly, the Lord desires for me to struggle with both.

Chew the cud, ponder, and take time to consider all you discover about the Lord in scripture. God is so much more than you or I comprehend. Deeper and more complicated.

More terrible—and more wonderful.

Psalm 94 in week forty-eight of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Camille Brodard