Who want Goodness and Mercy
Scripture: Psalm 23: 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
When my granddaughter was a five she loved to visit the park down the street. We would walk to the park, which is a short distant away. She would be excited and run ahead of me. As she ran ahead, I follow after her, making sure of her safety. Once we are there, I am constantly within reach to pick her up if she fall, grab her if threatened by a dog, car, or stranger; to help her swing, slide, and climb. The whole trip to the park and back, I am constantly present, most of the time chasing after her, to make sure she have fun, learn more about her fears, and to ensure their safety. “Surely, Grandma love and kindness will follow after her all the way to the park and back.” Why is this so? It is who I am, how I am, and the way I am. So it is with our Shepherd.
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” Have you ever thought of verse 6 as a promise? God has promised to provide or supply goodness and mercy everyday of our lives, all of our lives! The problem is, we often fail to recognize it! We are so trained to think that we must chase after what we call “good things,” like a big flat 3 D- screen television or IPod. It is foreign for us to think about good things chasing after us! God is nipping right at our heels, but our eyes are not trained to see it in our lives. So often we miss it.
Prayer: Mother God our Shepherd, thank you for your goodness and mercy, which help keep us from straying. Please continue to provide comfort, reassurance, and healing to help when we are stressed. Help us to remember your promise “Surely your goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Amen.
The Reverend Betty A. Brown
The Reverend Betty A. Brown
