Nahum 1:3: “The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. In whirlwind and storm is His way, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet.”

Aren’t you glad our God is slow to anger?  If He responded quickly to my every mess up, I would be a smoldering ember.  But instead He is patient and kind.  That does not diminish His power or His character of truth, as the verse says.  We can rest assured that He will punish those who are against Him.  He has no choice.  He demands holiness.

But thanks be to God, He has sent the Rescuer, His own Son Jesus Christ.  He showed us how to respond in the face of persecution.  He showed us how to deal with those who would want to harm us.  Jesus could have “zapped” all His enemies.  He could have literally stepped down off the cross.  But He was forgiving, instead.

TEACHING MOMENT

Children must learn this skill.  They must learn to respond to those who hurl insults at them.  They must learn how to allow the Lord to deal with those who would want to harm them.  There really is no other way.  The Lord is the One with the power, not us.  He will use us, but only in a way that brings glory to Him.

The next time your child comes homes with the report that little Jimmy at school is picking on them, use this verse to teach them. They may never see Jimmy dealt with regarding His behavior.  That’s okay.  God will handle it when He is ready to handle it.  Help them pray for Jimmy.  Teach them to be Jesus to him.

Now, this sounds easy, right?  Well, it’s not.  It’s impossible.  You can’t do it.  But you don’t have to.  He will do it through you.  Nahum was prophesying about God’s power and His ability to do what was right at the right time.  He is still that same God.

O God, give me the ability today to not lash out at those who speak evil against me.  Help me instead to pray for their salvation.  Teach me to trust You as You deal with those who speak evil against those who follow You.