Psalm 103:1-8

 “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” vs. 8

The psalmist would have been surprised to learn that many Christians avoid the Hebrew scriptures as much as they can, having been brainwashed into believing that they contain nothing but tedious laws and stories of a vengeful demanding God. Of course all we need to do for another perspective is to actually take time to read those scriptures.. In reality the pages of the Old Testament are filled with remarkable passages like this one that affirm the absolute goodness of God and the uncompromising mercy and grace that is central to God’s nature. How sad it is that we spend even a single day imagining that the Lord is out to get us or cause us harm! We have been created in the image of God, and in spite of our brokenness, that goodness has never been taken from us. Here we find that God’s love is not only unconditional, it’s steadfast! There is nothing that can stop the Lord’s love from flowing into our lives. No matter what we do, no matter where we wander, Divine Love will continue to sustain and support us. In fact, the abundance of God’s love is beyond our human understanding. It’s exactly what we need in these troubled times when dysfunction and confusion seems to have taken over. No matter how unsteady and unreliable our leaders might become, God’s love will continue to be our hope and our joy, as long as we live and beyond.

Thought for the Day: When do I most need assurances of God’s steadfast love?