Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.Psalm 23:6 NKJV
In this verse taken from perhaps the most memorable of the Psalms, notice it doesn’t say maybe goodness and mercy will follow me. No, God’s goodness towards you is sure, certain, and guaranteed.
Not because of any great thing you have done, or because you have been a faithful and loyal servant. The reason God’s goodness and mercy is in your life today is because of your faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.
God loved mankind so much that He wanted to pour out His goodness as a demonstration of this love. Under the Law, however, God was limited to what He could give by each individual’s adherence to the Law (their performance). That’s why He sent His Son, Jesus.
The Bible says, “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him” (Isaiah 53:10 NKJV). Jesus lived a perfect life on your behalf so that your heavenly Father could demonstrate His love and goodness towards you according to Jesus’ performance, rather than yours.
There is only one thing that will hinder you from receiving the sure goodness and mercy of God every day. That one thing is a lack of faith. God has put the ball in your court. He’s ready and waiting to manifest His goodness and mercy towards you, but He can only do it when you believe.
Isaiah 53 says, “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows” (v. 4), and “by His stripes we are healed” (v. 5). Just as surely as Jesus has borne your sin, sickness, and pain on the cross, so also God’s goodness and mercy will surely follow you all the days of your life!
Confession: I believe in the complete and total redemptive work Jesus did on the cross on my behalf. I know it is God’s will that I experience His goodness and mercy all the days of my life, and I receive them now—in Jesus’ name.
Author: Jerry Savelle