Exodus 33:19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.
Romans 9:15-18 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
Psalms 65:4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!
Romans 2:4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
Numbers 14:18 ‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’
To understand God’s grace requires the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom into God’s love, mercy, compassion, patience, kindness, and goodness. How do we know of all of these attributes of God? By spending time in His word. In His word, we find wisdom and understanding of God’s great love for us. We see His promises of blessings and judgments. We see His power, might, and strength. We see His anger toward sin, unbelief, and complacency. We know of peace in times of uncertainty. We know of His rest when burdens weigh us down. We know of His great wonders. We know His compassion for the lost. A million lifetimes in His word and we will still just scratch the surface of getting to know the depth and width of His love for us.
He chose us to be His children and joint heirs with Christ. He chose us for more than a big moment decision once upon a time. He chose us to live every small moment in the light of the big moment of belief. We are never to become complacent or neglectful of His word. The big moment decision is not the end. It is the beginning of a lifetime of always seeking to honor, glorify, serve, hear, follow and obey.