ATTRIBUTES OF GOD’S HEART

“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” – Revelations 4:8

No human language is sufficient to capture and describe the ATTRIBUTES of GODS HEART: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” (Rev.4:8). God put His Word – the Bible – together for us to understand and know Him better; and to communicate and commune with Him heart to Heart. The Holy Spirit was sent to indwell and empower us for the same reasons. We’re drawn nearer and closer to God as we discover His Heart of Faith, Hope, Love, Compassion, Sacrifice, and Redemption. I found on the webpage of Nancy Kay Grace, five attributes of God’s Heart. Interestingly these are listed as an acronym to spell the word H.E.A.R.T! God’s H.E.A.R.T is…

Holy: God is absolutely holy, so holy that the Bible mentions His holiness thrice in two significant verses. The angelic beings say, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaa.6:3). The four living creatures do not rest day and night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Alimighty, Who was and is and is to come!” (Rev.4:8b). Holiness means that God is set apart. He is worthy of reverence because of His purity and His deity. God is far above anything in all of creation in holiness. He is “glorious in HOLINESS, fearful in praises, doing wonders” (Exo.15:11b). In a world where disrespect is common, it can be hard to understand holiness and the expectation of veneration that comes with such reverence. But we are called to be holy as He is holy (1Pet.1:15-16). Indeed, we are spiritually pure because Jesus’ sacrifice cleanses us of sin. We are a holy nation (1Pet.2:9).

Everlasting: God’s Heart is eternal. The psalmist declared: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God” (Psa.90:2). Psalm 100:5 says: “For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.” And Psalm 103:17, “But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children.”

Awesome: “For the LORD Most High is AWESOME; He is a great King over all the earth” (Psa.47:2). This word “awesome” is used more than forty times to describe God: “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and AWESOME, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe” (Dt.10:17). The psalmist also eulogized God’s awesomeness: “O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places. The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people” (Psa.68:35).  Nehemiah prayed to the Awesome God: “I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and AWESOME GOD, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments” (Neh.1:5).

Righteous: “The LORD is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works” (Psa.145:17). There is hardly any other attribute in Scripture that is declared more strongly than God’s righteousness: “O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face… for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice” (Dan.9:7a, 14b); “Gracious is the LORD, and RIGHTEOUS; Yes, our God is merciful” (Psa.116:5); “O LORD God of Israel, You are righteous” (Ez.9:15). God does only the things that are right and blameless, setting the standard for behaviour; hence, He judges evil. God’s justice flows out of His righteousness: “God is just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day” (Psa.7:11). The Gospel reveals God’s righteousness through Jesus.

True: “But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King” (Jer.10:10a). The Lord Jesus Christ who Himself is the TRUTH, says: “He who has received His testimony has certified that GOD IS TRUE” (Jh.3:33).

Isn’t it amazing that God’s grace would extend His holy, eternal, awesome, righteous, and true heart to us imperfect beings?