Bodacious Brays

This week I had a procedure done on my nose that required a bandage after the work was done. At first I was kind of worried about how I would look, but realized it actually was kinda cool. Made me look like I’d been in a fight and you’d better not mess with me.

Did you know that the Bible talks about God’s nose? Well, he is a spiritual being and doesn’t have an actual nose, but it was the Hebrew way of describing a characteristic of God. Whenever someone was described as being angry, they were said to have a “hot nose”. You know when the anger boils inside and blood rushes to the face. The nose turns red and head grows hot. Hot nose.

So, when we think of all the injustice in the world, we often wonder, why doesn’t God just set them straight. Bring his justice now and wipe out evil. In Exodus 34:6, God is described using the Hebrew term of “long of nose” or slow to anger. It takes a long time for his nose to get hot. He is not a vengeful God bringing retribution every time we see injustice in the world. He gives people time to repent. He is patient because he loves. It takes a long time for his nose to get hot.

While I’m all for justice for others, it’s feels a lot different when it’s justice for me. If God gave me what I deserve….ouch. That would be painful. Instead, he is long-of-nose with me. He is a forgiving God who knows what’’s best for me. He knows I can’t do it on my own, that is why he came to this earth in the form of Jesus to die for my sins so the imperfect could be made perfect with him.

So trust in him today and thank him for having a long nose for you. Love you!