MAY THE LORD SHINE ON YOU WITH HIS GRACE AND LOVE
While praying about what I should share in this message, God’s Spirit strongly impressed upon me to talk you about his faithfulness.
“His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).
I want to speak to those readers who have failed the Lord. Perhaps you have slipped. Maybe you have become complacent in prayer and Bible reading. Or, maybe you’ve broken a commandment, sinning against the Lord. You may be under the dominion of a besetting sin. Whatever your situation, you may be overwhelmed with fear, guilt and unbelief. You know God has said he will judge all manner of sin, and that knowledge has become a burden of fear to you, because you know the Lord is faithful to his Word.
BUT GOD IS ALSO FAITHFUL IN MERCY. In Psalm 89 we find one of the most healing, encouraging words in all of Scripture. God says:
“I have found David my servant…with whom my hand established… I will beat down his foes before his face. My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him… I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth” (89:20).
This Psalm is referring to Christ. And it is here the Father establishes a certain covenant with his Son:
“My mercy will I keep for him for ever more, and my covenant shall stand fast with him” (89:28).
Beloved, the same covenant that God made with Christ is made with all of his children.
“His seed [children] also will I make to endure for ever… If his children forsake my law…and keep not my commandments…I will visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth” (89:29-34).
Think of it: God has made a covenant never to take his loving kindness from any of those who are in Christ. He will discipline us with his rod of correction, but he does this in mercy, love and compassion – because whom the Lord loves he chastens. He will be faithful to you in your struggle, enduing you with the power of his Spirit. Christ will not give up on you; he has made a glorious promise to keep you: “His seed (children) shall endure for ever” (89:36).
Give thanks to the Lord for his lovingkindness in the morning. Then thank him for his faithfulness every night (see Psalm 92:1-2). By faith, receive this healing word.