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God is Good, God Forgives, & God is Abounding in Steadfast Love


For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.
Psalm 86:5 (NRSV)

If you are ever finding that you are in need of encouragement, begin with this verse in the Psalms!  It is so easy to get down on ourselves and to view life negatively.  Just when we are seeing success, "life" throws us the proverbial curve-ball and we are left to pick up the pieces or figure out how to live life with that new set of circumstances.  This verse tells reminds us of who God is.  

The Lord, our God, is good!  How often do we blame God for the bad things that happen in our life?  We look up to heaven and shake our fists at God the moment we get a bill in the mail that is much higher than we were expecting or when someone dings our door in the parking lot and leaves without leaving a note.  God is not a God who takes delight in our suffering or in causing harm to us.  God is good and that is something that is helpful to hear when we are surrounded by the negativity of life.

The Lord, our God, is forgiving!  Call me judgmental, but you, me, and everyone else in this world is a sinner from birth, from the moment we were conceived!  Daily, we are in need of forgiveness for sins that we commit, whether they are in thought, word, or deed.  The good news is that God is a forgiving God!  Seek his forgiveness and he will oblige!  That is a result of Christ's death on the cross.  The penalty for our sins is paid!  We can not only receive forgiveness for our sins but also not suffer the ultimate penalty that each of our sins deserves.

The Lord, our God, is abounding in steadfast love!  Everyday I am thankful that my God is a God abounding in steadfast love!  God's love is unending, never fails, and cannot be taken away by anyone or anything in this world!  Paul tells us that nothing can separate us from God's love (Romans 8:38-39)!

God is good, forgiving, and abounding in steadfast love to all who call on him.  What good news!  All we need to do to receive God's goodness, forgiveness, and steadfast love is to call on him.  By placing our faith in Christ, we experience God's goodness, we are forgiven, and we receive God's love.  If you find encouragement from this verse, share it with someone in your life that needs encouragement too! 
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