Recently, a friend of mine began reading the Bible and had questions about certain passages, particularly some of God’s actions in the Old Testament. Those questions took me on a personal journey of reflection. I know God is love, and I know He is good, yet some of the punishments described in the Old Testament can feel unsettling. While I cannot fully explain God because my human understanding is limited, he reveals facets of His character to His children in ways that help us relate to Him from our own vantage points. At this stage of my life, I relate to God most clearly as a parent. In my relationship with my children, I often see parallels to our relationship with God. In this context, I see an extremely loving parent who is also a firm disciplinarian. God loves us deeply, but He also desires to refine us. I believe His purpose is to prepare us for the eternity He has created for those who are dear to His heart. As Scripture says, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9, NKJV).

In the Old Testament, we often see the disciplinarian side of God, while in the New Testament we see His overwhelmingly affectionate nature. If we focus only on the accounts of judgment in the Old Testament, we may sometimes feel fearful of God. On the other hand, if we focus solely on the New Testament, which emphasizes His loving and gentle attributes, we may begin to take Him for granted. It is important that we hold both truths together.

As parents, we strive to walk the fine line between disciplining our children so they can reach their full potential and reassuring them that they are deeply loved. It is essential that they recognize and appreciate both aspects of our role. A stranger observing our interactions with our children on a single day might come to an incorrect conclusion about our character as parents. In the same way, the fullness of God’s character can only be appreciated when we consider every aspect of who He is.

We need to know and understand both sides of God, the firm disciplinarian and the deeply loving Father. This understanding is the first step toward a genuine relationship with Him. It is difficult to say we truly love someone we know very little about. The Bible is an invaluable resource for knowing God and appreciating the many dimensions of His attributes. Let us commit to reading the Bible more this year so that we may know Him more deeply.