Kindness in Delay

Back in the day when Moms were more likely to be at home during the day than in the marketplace, a  badly behaving child might have heard Mom say, "Just wait till your Father gets home and hears about this."   Those who grew up in those days and did things which earned some measure of punishment understand that a delayed punishment can be worse than one given in the moment.  Not only is the punishment given, but it is something dreaded and feared all day long.    

Of course, something different is happening when we do those things which speak of a heart bent on our own desires instead of the desires God has for us, but the common denominator is punishment delayed.  When God delays in responding to our sins, it is not because He wants to heighten our fear, but that He wants us to have time to reflect, confess, and make a decision to live differently.  The Apostle Paul writes about the kindness implicit in delaying His wrath by asking the Roman Jewish Christians, "Do you not realize that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?"  (Romans 2:4)  

We may think that the delay is about God changing His mind, or about God changing the rules to allow for own wrong choices, or about some cosmic turning over of the law of reaping what is sown, but it is really more about giving us time to come to our senses.  In the parable of the prodigal son, the waiting father never pulled the welcome mat away from the front door.  He gave the wayward son plenty of time to realize what he was doing and Who loved him.  God is surely like this father in the parable.  He wants us to come to our senses by our own choice and to know where we are always loved.