You cannot stay angry',

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"You cannot stay angry with Your people forever, because You delight in showing mercy." Micah 7:18

The WRATH of God is dreadful—but this is only directed against His obstinate and determined enemies. 

The ANGER of the Lord is distressing; this is directed against His people for a time. Each one may say, "You were angry with me!" Let us look at this solemn fact: 

God had been angry. 
The cause of His anger is sin. 
The object with which He is angry is His child. 
The nature of His anger is paternal. 
The design of His anger is correction. 
The effects of His anger are various: sometimes it affects our temporal things; it always affects our spiritual comfort and joy. 
The continuance of His anger is transient. His anger endures but for a moment. "You cannot stay angry with Your people forever, because You delight in showing mercy." 

He is not naturally angry. 
He is never sovereignly angry. 
He is not always, nor long angry. 

He looks to the atonement; 
He listens to the cry of the corrected one; 
love works in His heart; 
He remembers His covenant; 
and He delights in mercy. 

His WRATH will burn forever against impenitent sinners, being fed with the fuel of sin! 

His ANGER against His child soon burns out, or is quenched by the water of love!

He passes all our follies by,
And all our sins forgives;
His wrath does in a moment die;
His love forever lives!

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