Goodness and Mercy

Sometimes, as Christians, we don’t fully realize all that God has done for us. We take His blessings in our lives for granted far too often.

God is faithful. God is good. And God is consistent.

The Bible promises that God will not just pardon us for our sin but will abundantly pardon us. Isaiah 55:7 tells us, “Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously” (NLT).

Not only is God able to do what we ask of Him through prayer, but according to Ephesians 3:20, He is able to “accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (NLT).

Not only are we conquerors in Christ, but according to Romans 8:37, “we are more than conquerors” (NIV). He gives us not just peace but a peace that “exceeds anything we can understand” (Philippians 4:7 NLT).

The psalmist and shepherd David was able to look back on his life and say, “My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:5–6 NLT).

As Christians look back at their lives, if they have been walking closely with God, they’re able to see a pattern of God’s blessings over the years.

While this world feasts on the rotting carcasses of sin, the Christian feasts at the Good Shepherd’s table. While the world feasts on cheap imitations, the Christian feasts on the real thing. While this world drinks from the polluted, diseased watering holes, the Christian—God’s sheep—feeds on green pastures and drinks from still waters.

As the results of sin catch up with those who have had no time for God, those who have faithfully walked with God find that goodness and mercy, like two sheepdogs, have been following them all along.

Sometimes, when we’re going through certain situations, we may not see God’s goodness or mercy. In fact, we may even question God on occasion. But as the years pass, as we look back, we are able to see God’s hand in our lives in a way that perhaps we couldn’t see it before.

This is illustrated well in the tumultuous life of young Joseph, who had so many setbacks. Yet many wonderful things happened in his life. In the end, he said to his brothers, who had sold him into slavery years before, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” (Genesis 50:20 NLT).

Joseph was able to recognize, like David, that God’s goodness and mercy had followed him all the days of his life.

And we can look back and see the same thing. Really, the Christian life is the greatest life there is. It is better than anything this world has to offer.

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