GOODNESS AND MERCY!

GOODNESS AND MERCY!

Ps 23:6

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord  for ever.

          David was summarizing the amazing relationship between the sheep and his benevolent Shepherd. In Psalm 23 he describes green pastures, still waters, and a bountiful table in plain view of his enemies. He goes on to list the Shepherd’s presence through the valley of the shadow of death, the oil of anointing for the troubled head and the overflowing cup. He wraps it all up by saying that goodness and mercy would follow him [never leave him] all the days of his life.

          The word “follow” in this verse is the Hebrew word radaph and it literally means “to run after or pursue.” With all the things that trouble us, could we be running in the wrong direction? Yet God faithfully and persistently chases us in order to show us kindness.

          Goodness, according to Merriam-Webster is “excellence and virtue.” Goodness, then, is God’s very best! God chases His beloved sheep with the very best things. This continues throughout life and then, when life is over, we are taken into his very own house to live with Him forever.

          Mercy is the Hebrew word checed and means kindness. Merriam-Webster says that mercy means “compassion shown to victims of misfortune.” It springs from Medieval Latin merced which essentially means “wages” and, of course, French merci which means “thank you.”

          Good things; merciful things run after us throughout our lifetime. This is the daily experience of the believer whose Shepherd is Jesus. Why not stop your running and allow God to catch you, anoint your head with oil, and overflow your cup?

Dear Lord, Thank you for chasing after me and showering me with goodness and mercy. AMEN