July 10, 2026

How is your level of patience? On a scale from 1 to 10 how would you rate yourself? How would others? For the first half of my life, I would have described myself as a patient person. I didn’t blow up easily or become angry quickly. I was a pretty calm guy. That is, until we had children. When my wife and I had our second son, there was a part of me who emerged that I had never known before. I was impatient. My son had colic and was up for hours each night crying inconsolably. I remember pacing the floor holding him. In that season of my life, I learned just how easily a could become angry. I don’t blame my son (not really, ha!). That character trait had just been latent inside me waiting to rear its ugly head.

God, when he introduces his name to Moses, describes himself. He defines what his name, Yahweh, means.

6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” -Exodus 34:6-7

Of all the ways in which God could have described himself in this rather short section, one thing seems to stand out from the others.

Slow to anger.

I’ve read stories of the ancient gods of other cultures. It doesn’t take long before you find evidence of that culture’s incessant need to appease the anger of their gods. You read stories in ancient epics of warring gods, gods who demand human sacrifice, those who become easily angered and threaten to destroy human life. These gods were petty, jealous, violent, and selfish. Not the god of the Bible. Not Yahweh. He wants us to know that he is slow to anger.

That should cause us to pause. Why would God specifically say that about himself? He could have said many other things. He could have said that he is joyful, not easily made to laugh, or that he is happy. He doesn’t say those things. So, if he is slow to anger that means at least two things:

One, that must mean he has something to be angry about. Our sin is rebellion against his goodness, sovereignty, and holiness. He asks for our trust, and we give him trust in ourselves. He asks for our worship, and we value ourselves more than anything. He created us and he loves us. Our sin is offensive to him. He has every right to be quick to become angry. He has every right to wipe us off the face of the earth; To demand unfailing allegiance or else! But he hasn’t. He doesn’t. He is patient with us.

2 Peter 3:9 says, The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

The second thing we notice is this. Just because he’s slow to become angry… he will still get angry. Sin is an affront to the heart of God. He knows it’s potency to steal, kill, and destroy our lives. He must punish sin and discipline his children to bring them back to his patient embrace. He promises to ultimately destroy sins power one day. God the Son took all of Yahweh’s wrath and anger upon himself when he went to the cross. Jesus took the anger of God for the sin of all mankind.

How can you approach Yahweh in recognition of his slowness to become angry? He is patient with you. He’s not mad at you. He never has been. He will confront your sin and discipline you. How can you see his patience and discipline in your life? How does his patience and grace shape your worship?

Reveling in God’s slowness,

Nathan

Nathan Hinkle

Lead Pastor

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