In my Bible reading today I noticed God’s forgiveness. Not that I never notice, but it was a different place than I would normally notice. In Exodus 32, Aaron and the children of Israel make a false God while Moses is off on the nearby mountain talking to the real God, whom they have actually heard speaking and have seen His presence.
So when God is done giving Moses instructions and laws, He tells Moses what the children of Israel are doing. Moses goes down from the mountain and sees this idolatry, and becomes extremely angry – so angry he breaks the special stone tables that God made and wrote on Himself. Moses then proceeds to have strong words with Aaron about this act of idolatry.
What I noticed about forgiveness is, God still let Aaron become a priest later on. God had given Moses instructions on the mountain about making Aaron and his sons priests, and God would still allow it, even though Aaron had led the people in committing idolatry.
Even though God has every right to punish people severely, He most often forgives our acts of sin against Him. And for that I am extremely thankful.