Children in the Arms of a Loving God

About 280 years ago, a New England preacher named Jonathan Edwards gave a famous sermon called Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, in which he paints a vivid picture of all of us as sinners held over the infernal flames of Hell by a God whose patience has just about run out. And while this may be an effective argument for scaring people into forsaking their sins and repenting, it fundamentally misrepresents the relationship between us and God. It would be more accurate to call us all Children in the Arms of a Loving God. God doesn't sadistically dangle us over the fires of Hell until His patience and our sanity have frayed and snapped. No, when we find ourselves burning from guilt and shame, God Himself descends to our level, scoops us up into His arms and carries us back out to safety. God is willing to brave the fires of Hell and meet us where we're at because He loves us and He knows the way out.