God is great, majestic, terrible, destructive. His glory must be maintained. He does not brook the slightest hint of rebellion or presumptuous folly. He has struck down men -- even great hosts -- without warning. He has ordered a man stoned for merely gathering sticks at the wrong time. But let us observe with thanksgiving that love of God -- our love for God -- is a perfect insulator against the dreadful lightning of His wrath. God has shown infinite love to mankind, and made the evidence of it inescapable. Where love is shown in return, He is the gentlest and most compassionate of fathers. To those who love Him, He is patient with failure, and temperate with folly. He corrects, and punishes -- but with restraint, and in love: to build and not to destroy. Of course, our love, to really BE love, must be total, and intelligent, and anxious to learn His way, and to please Him in careful obedience

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