Praise the Lord, my soul,
and do not forget how kind he is. Ps. 103:2
It is good to remember that God is always dealing with us in kindness. Everything he does comes from a kind and generous heart.
Even in times of discipline when he is working for change in our lives, it is always with our good and ultimate well-being in mind. He knows where we need to go and is always kindly and gently leading us there. And he will not give up until he has completed his work.
Romans 2:4 tells us that his kindness is intended to lead us to repentance. Repentance just means a change of heart and mind that causes us to turn and go in a different direction. A change of heart is what we all need. The Message translation puts it this way: God is kind, but he’s not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.
You may be keenly aware of your failures and so you are feeling a sense of condemnation and guilt. That isn't God talking. He is kindly saying, "I will help you. I will hold you by your right hand and lead you on to new and better things."
If you hear his voice, don't turn away. He knows exactly what you need. Receive him, believe in him. He is the giver of new life.
You may be keenly aware of your failures and so you are feeling a sense of condemnation and guilt. That isn't God talking. He is kindly saying, "I will help you. I will hold you by your right hand and lead you on to new and better things."
If you hear his voice, don't turn away. He knows exactly what you need. Receive him, believe in him. He is the giver of new life.
There's a Wideness in God's Mercy
Frederick W. Faber
(1814–1863)
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy,
Like the wideness of the sea;
There’s a kindness in His justice,
Which is more than liberty.
Like the wideness of the sea;
There’s a kindness in His justice,
Which is more than liberty.
There is welcome for the sinner,
And more graces for the good;
There is mercy with the Savior;
There is healing in His blood.
For the love of God is broader
Than the measure of our mind;
And the heart of the Eternal
Is most wonderfully kind.
If our love were but more simple,
We should take Him at His word;
And our lives would be all sunshine
In the sweetness of our Lord.
But we make His love too narrow
By false limits of our own;
And we magnify His strictness
With a zeal He will not own.
The Lord is merciful and loving,
slow to become angry and full of constant love.
As high as the sky is above the earth,
so great is his love for those who honor him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our sins from us.
As a father is kind to his children,
so the Lord is kind to those who honor him.
He knows what we are made of;
he remembers that we are dust.
Psalm 103:8, 11-14 GNTD
