Day 53 – Lovingkindness (Part 2)
We can easily confuse mercy with permission. We can think that because God loves us, He’ll simply overlook whatever we do.
Day 53 – Lovingkindness (Part 2)
Psalm 23:6 — “…and lovingkindness will follow me…”
Last week we discovered that hesed is more than a feeling. It is steadfast, faithful love that acts toward the one who is loved. We also saw that the Bible repeatedly tells the story of a holy God pursuing sinful people.
But there is something we need to ask about that pursuit that will bring it all into focus. What does God’s lovingkindness do when it catches us?
Hers what it doesn’t do: It doesn’t simply look at our sin and say, “It’s all right. Don’t worry about it.” God’s hesed is too deep for that.
It finds us and calls us home.
We can easily confuse mercy with permission. We can think that because God loves us, He’ll simply overlook whatever we do. But God doesn’t pretend that sin isn’t serious because He knows exactly what sin does to us.
Think about David. The man who wrote these beautiful words about the Shepherd was the man who sinned with Bathsheba and arranged for her husband’s death. God sent Nathan the prophet to confront him. (2 Samuel 12:7).
That was God’s love at work. God loved David enough to expose him. Hecalled David out and acted upon it.
We need that kind of love.
There are times when the most loving thing God can do is make us uncomfortable with the direction our lives are taking. His conviction may be painful, but that’s what love does. It’s not trying to make us feel better.
God pursues us because He is bringing us back to where we belong.
David’s response to Nathan eventually became Psalm 51. “Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness.” David didn’t defend himself or minimize his sin. He appealed to the very hesed of God that had pursued him.
That is the wonder of God’s lovingkindness. It is love strong enough to confront, mercy deep enough to forgive and faithfulness great enough to restore.
That is exactly what you need to know today. If God is troubling your conscience about something, don’t run from it. The Shepherd is closer than you realize.
His lovingkindness has found you.
One more message about lovingkindness tomorrow.
