March 2021

13/03/2021

Thought for today
God's mercy, our saving grace

Lamentations 3 v 19 – 66
“The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail.” (vers 22)

Scriptures teach us that God is just, perfect and righteous. His lovingkindness endures forever. He is timeless, space less and immaterial – a being far beyond our comprehension – and seemingly out of our reach. Yet, He has made Himself known to us and showed compassion towards us, when He became a man and bore our transgressions.

How can we say that God is not present in our times of need, when He has revealed Himself to us through His Son? Jesus, walked among men, was tempted and persecuted and eventually killed for the sake of mankind. He even suffered for those who sentenced Him to die the most brutal death. His undeserved mercy became our saving grace.

“For if He causes grief, then He will have compassion, according to His abundant lovingkindness” (vers 32)

God is not the author of evil, although He will allow certain situations and our current circumstances to mould us into a being that is willing to serve. Does this mean He takes away our free will in order to force us to serve Him? Not at all!!! He makes all things work together for good for those who love Him (Rom 8 v 28) and therefore He will allow us to suffer, in order that we may seek Him to fulfill our purpose.

We live in a fallen world that is destined to perish and we have the choice to either choose God and His ways or perish with the world. Again, He leaves it to us and we can decide between the one or the other. It is ultimately our choice and He will never force us, because God is love, and love by definition implies that one has a choice. Love is kind, love is patient and love endures all things (1 Cor 13 v 4 – 8).

“Let us examine and probe our ways and let us return to the Lord” (vers 40)

As believers we are instructed to test ourselves to see whether we are in the faith (2 Cor 13 v 5). Are you standing with one foot in the world and one in the faith? Are you struggling to fight the lusts of the flesh and continually give in to its desires? Is your conscience convicting you and yet you still give in to sin? It is good that you are convicted, but for how long until your conscience is branded (seared) and you are no longer able to withstand temptation…

Christ died a terrible death, once for all and every time that we sin, we crucify Him again and again and again. How do we then return to the Lord and walk away from our sinful nature that is causing us to drift further and further away from God and what He has intended for us? Yes, His lovingkindness is abundant and never ends, His compassion(s) never fail, but this does not exempt us while living in sin.

We are saved by grace, which came at a price far to high for us to bear and comprehend. Our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus is based on the “assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.” (Heb 11 v 1) [BSB]. Do not allow that which is seen for a short while to destroy the promise of an eternity with Him, who might seem to be unseen, but is revealed to us through His Word.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by “The Lockman Foundation“