Verse: Psalm 23:6
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Devotion
How are you feeling about life today? Was last week a rough one? Did you have trouble at work? Were there interpersonal issues at home or with friends? Does it feel like you are dealing with a lot of problems and nothing is getting resolved? Where is God in all this?
David faced a multitude of problems during his life, some of his own making and some with those that wanted his power and position. Rivals wanted to kill him. And yet he wrote the words we are studying today.
A central issue in your faith is how do you feel about God when you are facing trouble. Earlier verses say that David feels like he is walking in the valley of the shadow of death and that he is surrounded by his enemies. But he still feels that God is setting a banquet before him.
David looks back on his life and sees the goodness that God has shown him in times of trouble and the mercy that he has received when he has done wrong. We can all do this. We can all look back and see that God has spared us deserved judgement and instead been good to us.
We can be sure that our God is always the same, never changing. He is always good and shows goodness to us. He is always merciful in all situations. His mercies are new every morning. We can be assured, with our acceptance of Jesus’ work on the cross that our sins are forgiven, and our future is determined. We will dwell forever with our God.
So today, while considering the problems you face in life, also meditate on the goodness and mercy of God that is for you today and every day. And know that your problems are temporary, and that Jesus has made an eternal place for us in heaven. Standing firm on these assurances will allow you to walk through your valley of shadows focusing instead on the banquet that God has set for you.
Prayer
Help us, Lord, to accept your goodness and mercy for us today. Help us to focus on you knowing that you will walk with us and give us wisdom to deal with our problems.
Author: Brad Dunn
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