My Benevolent Lord, I am awed by the many kindnesses You have shown to me. Instead of complaining about what I do not have, I should praise You for Your many gifts. Gifts like the forgiveness for my sins … healing me from various diseases … redeeming my life with Your very own …the compassion and love shown to me when my spirit is low … meeting all my needs … satisfying my desires … and filling me with Your goodness. I have received all these things without deserving any of them. No matter how difficult my journey becomes, I know I can always count on Your blessings coming through at just the right time. If I dare to think You do not care about me, I need only to reflect on Your many blessings to confirm Your deep love for me. When I want to understand what motivates You, I only need to gaze upon Your words in the Bible to get a clear picture of who You are and what You expect of me.
Where kindness and mercy abound, You are there because they are a part of Your nature. This is why I want You to teach me how to love You in the same way that You love me. Your mercy is a form of grace which You dispense freely to me when I show true sorrow for my sins. I am thankful for Your forgiveness because when Your forgive me You separate me from the sin and do not remember it anymore. I am encouraged by the fact that once You forgive You forget … and I should be emulating Your way when I deal with others. I tend to dredge up my ugly past but You encourage me by assuring me that my slate is wiped clean. If I am to model You, I must be willing to forgive AND forget. To forgive another, I must forgive and forget or the offense is not truly forgiven. Your mercy gives me hope for a tomorrow when I can leave my sins behind and walk uprightly like You have shown me how to do.
When I feel fragile, Your loving care upholds me above the fray. Too often I focus on Your sternness ignoring Your compassion and concern for me. When You examine my life, You consider my human condition. That is why You can forgive me repeatedly. Your hope is that each dose of mercy that You show to me will pull my life away from sin and push me closer to You. I should never try to use my humanness as an excuse for my sins. The dispensing of Your mercy takes everything into account and I must trust You will deal with me fairly and with compassion. All that You do for me should cause me to want to praise You. To praise You means that I acknowledge the kindness and mercy You show toward me. I must remain steadfast in my desire to be obedient and do what You ask me to do. I want to be the person with whom You share Your kindness and mercy. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
Psalm 119:76 May Your unfailing merciful kindness be my comfort, according to Your promise to this servant.