God, not man - Hosea 11:9

 "For I am God, and not man" Hosea 11:9

The longsuffering, forgiveness, and compassion of the Lord toward His people seems unbelievable until we recognize that He is not man, but God. His love and forgiveness are of a different order. Charles Spurgeon observed that there are many differences between God and man in the matter of forgiveness.

· Man cannot hold back his anger very long.

· Man cannot bear with others when he is tired, stressed, or annoyed.

· Man will not reconcile if the person who offended him is a person of bad character.

· Man is often only willing to be reconciled if the offending party craves forgiveness and makes the first move.

· Man is often only willing to be reconciled if the offending party will never again do the wrong.

· Man, when he does reconcile, does not lift the former offender to place of high status and partnership.

· Man, when he is wronged, does not bear all the penalty for the wrong done.

· Man, when he attempts reconciliation, will not continue if he is rejected.

· Man will not restore an offender without a period of probation

· Man will not love, adopt, honor, and associate with one who has wronged him.

· Man will not trust someone who has formerly wronged them.

What passes for forgiveness among men is nothing like the amazing forgiveness of God. “Suppose that someone had grievously offended any one of you, and that he asked your forgiveness, do you not think that you would probably say to him, ‘Well, yes, I forgive you; but I – I – I – cannot forget it’? Ah! dear friends, that is a sort of forgiveness with one leg chopped off, it is a lame forgiveness, and is not worth much” (Spurgeon).