Micah 7:18b “You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.”

God is not a grudge holder. It’s true that sin does make him angry. Considering the nature of the revolt against him–billions of defiant rebels perverting the laws he gave for their own good, a rebellion stretching back thousands of years and involving every member of the human race–who could fault him if it took a while to get over the offense? Who would be surprised if he let his anger stew and build until it exploded on the ungrateful world he made?

But that is not his nature. Instead of reveling in his anger, he “delights to show mercy.” For our God, mercy is not a mere obligation he feels compelled to meet. It’s not just a job, where every day he has to drag himself out of bed and get ready to go to work and face the countless masses of people begging him for his help. It is more than a timeless principle of good he can’t help doing because it is part of “who he is.” It is his delight. This is what he loves to do. This is how he wants to spend his time.

On Labor Day weekend, most of us get an extra day off with the Monday holiday. It is a day on which we can do what we want. Originally the day was meant to honor those who work hard with their own hands, those who “labor” to make the life we enjoy possible.

For most people today, the day is spent cooking out and spending time with family. For some it may mean that last trip to the lake for the season. A few may tackle a fall project around the house. But whatever it is, it’s a holiday, a day for you to do what you want.

Ask the Lord what he wants to do on Labor Day, or any other day, and his answer is: “I would really like to show someone my mercy. I want to spare some poor sinner the consequence of his sins. I want to find someone who desperately needs my help and spend my time and effort in rescuing them. That’s what I do for fun. That’s how I spend my spare time, and every other moment of time I have.”

Understand the nature of our God, and we will understand, like Micah, that there is no other god whose anger so readily gives way to his mercy. We can count on it every day.