God with Us--Forgiving or Avenging?--Jan. 1, 2014

 Jesus, we call you Emmanuel, "God with us,"

but what face of God do we see in you?

The fury of the wrath of the Almighty,

with a sharp sword to strike us down,

or a bridegroom rejoicing over his bride?

 A forgiving God, or an avenger of our wrongdoings?

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 98; 147:1-11; 99; 8

Isa. 62:1-5, 10-12

Rev. 19:11-16

Matt. 1:18-25

Selected Verses

Ps. 99:8

O LORD our God, you answered [Moses, Aaron, and Samuel];
          you were a forgiving God to them,
          but an avenger of their wrongdoings.

Isa. 62:5

For as a young man marries a young woman,

            so shall your builder marry you,

and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,

            so shall your God rejoice over you.

Rev. 19:15

From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

Matt. 1:23

"Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us."