Daily Devotional
"Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire"
Matthew 3:10
We live in a time when people do not like to talk about God’s wrath. We prefer to focus on His love, mercy, and grace. And those are absolutely true and essential aspects of who God is. But if we are going to be honest with Scripture, we cannot ignore the reality that our God is a God of wrath, a God of judgment.
God’s wrath is not like human anger. It is not God losing His temper or flying off the handle. God’s wrath is holy, righteous, and a necessary response to sin. It is His settled opposition to everything evil. One commentator described it as “the inevitable condemnation by an all holy, all loving God of any sin which defiles his creation.”
If we are honest, we would not want it any other way. We do not like God’s wrath because we are on the receiving end of it. But when someone wrongs us, we are quick to want justice. We want a God who takes sin seriously. The good news of the gospel only makes sense against the backdrop of God’s righteous wrath. If there is no wrath, there is nothing to be saved from. If there is no judgment, the cross is meaningless.
John’s image is vivid: the axe is already positioned at the root of the trees. This is not a distant future event; judgment is imminent. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down. The urgency is real.
Today's Challenge
How do you typically think about God's wrath? Do you tend to minimize it or avoid it? How does understanding God's righteous judgment deepen your appreciation for the cross and the salvation Christ offers?
Prayer
Holy God, I confess that I often prefer to think only of Your love and overlook Your righteousness. Help me to see Your wrath for what it is: holy, just, and necessary. Thank You that in Your mercy You provided a way of escape through Your Son. May the reality of judgment drive me to deeper gratitude for the cross and greater urgency in sharing the gospel with others. In Jesus' name, Amen.
