How His love and mercy follows me all the days of my life…

I wrote this blog last spring in the O’Hare airport while waiting for my connecting flight. I found a great seat that allowed me to people-watch for hours, all the while I was reflecting on the ways God had led me through that past year with such goodness and grace.  What amazes me through is as I reflect on this past year, which was filled with more challenging circumstances, the truth of the Lord’s faithful and loving guidance still holds true. So I pray this will encourage you, whether you are in a good season or a season filled with many tears and questions. His love and mercy really does follow us all the days of our life as we put our hope in Him.

The Lord is my shepherd;

there is nothing I lack.
He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He renews my life;
He leads me along the right paths
for His name’s sake.
Even when I go through the darkest valley,
I fear no danger,
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff—they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live. (Psalm 23 HCSB)

Oh how thankful I am that God continues to show me my great need for Him. It is completely His mercy that has opened my eyes to my desperate state. On my own I am trapped in my pride, selfishness and sin. I sink into deeper bondage to bitterness and discontentment. Life can start to feel meaningless. In my brokenness, I do things that hurt me and those around me. Worst of all, I am cut off from the only God who can heal my heart and save me from sin and death.

But Jesus steps into the middle of my mess and He, as only He can, restores my relationship with God by grace through faith. He took the punishment and wrath I fully deserve for my sin against a holy and infinite God; and when I place my faith in Him, Jesus gives me everything I don’t deserve- His righteousness and right standing with God. I experience a different kind of love and joy. My sins are forgiven and I am freed from the enemy’s condemnation and accusations. I don’t have to hide in shame anymore. He has begun a good work in my heart. God begins to heal my heart of its deepest hurts and regrets. As my heavenly Father, God walks with me every step of the way- I don’t have to do this life on my own anymore.  Life isn’t necessarily easier, it is just better as His faithful love surrounds me each day.  There are still many things that break my heart and cause me frustration.  When I am weary though, He offers me His perfect rest. There are many things I don’t understand, but I can trust in the One who understands it all. There are uncertainties ahead but I know the One who is in control of every moment of my life.

I am still a long way from what I should be. Every day a battle rages all around me and in my own heart. I am so prone to leave the God I love. Even though I have been freed from the consequences of my sin, sin still threatens the intimacy of my relationship with my Saviour each day. Even though I’ve had glimpses of the glorious beauty of Jesus, my foolish heart is still enticed by the things of this world and it still fights for control.   Because my heart is so deceptive, His Spirit gently guides me in the way I should go as He fills my heart with His love. He disciplines me when He needs to. It is His kindness that leads me to repentance. He destroys my pride for God opposes the proud but gives mercy to the humble.   When I am most broken and needy, He rushes to fill me with His love and grace once again. Through the resurrection of Jesus from the grave, I can see how God is able to bring the greatest good from the worse. Because God didn’t even spare His own Son to save me, I know He is for me and that enables me to rest in His sure promises.

I can pursue deeper relationships with God and with others because of the abundant grace I am shown each and every day.  I am free to admit when I am wrong and to seek forgiveness. I am given a new power to love others, even when it is challenging to love.  When situations feel hopeless, I can have confidence in God who has the power to change anyone and anything. In the midst of my fears and doubts I can run with boldness to God because He has experienced `every pain and temptation I do and He promises to meet me with grace. When my emotions and feelings don’t match what I know in my head to be true, I can cling to His unchanging word. His word is living and active, and it leads to abundant life. His love isn’t based on my behavior but His love and word changes it. He delights in me simply because through the work of Jesus on the cross, I have been made His child.

Someday our King is coming back and He will defeat Satan and sin once and for all. Everything will be made new and right.  Until that that day, may I live for Him and not for myself, with a passion to make the saving power of Jesus known. This salvation is too great to keep to myself and I want others to experience the love of Jesus as well.   I long to be a living example of how Jesus came to save, and not to condemn. God’s Spirit alone empowers me to be the hands and feet of Jesus in this world; and to point people to the truth that sets us free. 

When I see Him face to face the only claim I will make is “Your grace on which I stand.”   Those who love Jesus cannot imagine what is in store for us.  He will wipe away all our tears, all of our pain and all our mourning. We will see Him face to face, and we will be made like Him. His glory will be our light. The hope of heaven changes the way I live this life. God’s good gifts on this earth are meant to remind me that there is something much greater coming. In the end, my time on this earth will seem so short and I will know that Jesus was worth it all. I’ll bow my knee before Him and sing with the angels “holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty!”  As I lay my crowns at His feet, I’ll worship my Saviour with great delight because Jesus has dressed me in His righteousness and He is not ashamed to present me before His Father with great joy!