Thoughts for another day

June 19, 2006

Today's verse: Ps 23:6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. (KJV).

In David’s prayer of Psalm 23, among the many assertions he makes about God, the above verse for me is the epitome of the nature of our Father in Heaven. Think, mercy shall follow me...

God is merciful. He is mercy personified. He forgives and forgives and forgives despite our sinning and sinning and even more sinning. God watches over us very carefully and when we sin, He is disappointed. Then, He wants us to, but turn and ask for His forgiveness. There are many times we feel guilty for having offended Him but He says, ‘Come back to me!’ The devil might want you to believe that God will hold your offence against you but rest assured, God is only waiting for you to turn around.

And by His mercy are all His gifts given to us. They are not withheld if we turn and ask Him to forgive us. Life itself continues as a result of God’s mercy. The psalmist says in Ps. 94:18, ‘my foot slipped but thy mercy held me up.’ By His mercy all things are renewed on the face of the earth. When we cry out to God for help, He looks not on our rotten condition, but His mercy comes to the fore. He picks us up and rescues us. His mighty hand works great things for us. Oh, behold that merciful face, it is like the balm of Gilead, like water from the rock.
My beloved in Christ, whenever you turn to God, remember never doubt His mercy. He, who could forgive even whilst dying a painful death inflicted by maniacal people, can forgive you anytime and let His river of Grace flow unto you.