Do you know what 'surely' means?
I looked it up in the dictionary just to be sure, and 'surely' I was correct in my thinking.
"Surely" in this scripture passage is an adverb and it means that the writer, in this case King David, had a firm unwavering belief in what he said and would have been surprised if there was any doubt about it.
David, described in the Bible as a man after God's own heart, had a firm, unwavering, confident belief that goodness and mercy, two holy and exceptional attributes of God, would never fail him, never leave him, never be absent from his life.
I receive emails and messages from sisters-in-Christ who question God's goodness and mercy because life situations have not worked out as they'd planned, finances haven't arrived to cover an expense, healing didn't happen after all that prayer, and family members still have not turned to/back to Jesus - and I hear the confusion, sorrow and even a sense of abandonment in their words. I feel incredibly sad for them because many, in not being given what they wanted, lose sight of all Jesus has done to bring them into relationship with the Father.
When we see 'good' things happen we rejoice in the blessing and give Him praise, often sharing the news happily with others, but when 'bad' things happen we often whine and complain, not just to God but those around us.
But how often do we miss the unseen blessings, protections and provisions. They would be far too many to count and I imagine when we're lamenting the latest unanswered prayer we may really be walking in unseen goodness and mercy but can't consider it due to focusing on what answer, provision or result we didn't get.
I'd love to only ever write soft and fuzzy things about our walk with Jesus, but in these last days I sense an urgency to clean up my own relationship with Him and encourage other believers to do the same.
King David made mistakes, indulging in a very deadly sin which cost him the life of a child, but he acknowledged his failings and instead of wallowing in them he looked up at Who had a calling on his life and chose to follow God no matter what, and then lead Israel and Judah into a closer walk with God by his own example.
So when he sings (for the psalms are songs) "surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life" he has no shadow of a doubt.
Let us have no shadow of a doubt that GOD is for us and not against us and His ways are always right and just. Trust that in every circumstance you face His response is the best in His eyes and fits in to the bigger tapestry of what is now and what is to come.
My own life has deep heartaches, unresolved relationships, betrayals, sickness, trial and pain...and yes, I'd like it all to go away, I'd love for God to 'fix' everything. But the truth is that through all of it I turned in toward Him, I leaned closer to His heart and offered my life in His service...and I made my peace in accepting His decision with regard to every prayer. What comfort and strength I found from Him when I did this.
No matter what you face today, no matter what you will face tomorrow, GOD will never leave you nor forsake you, and when it comes to unanswered prayer you may never get the result you want or you may simply have to wait for His perfect timing. But never lose hope, never lose faith, and never imagine anyone of us can twist the arm of God to do something against His holy will.
All His ways are perfect and just. His love is beyond our comprehension (would you send your own child to die for others?) and when we walk in His ways and follow the narrow path which leads to salvation we shall one day join Jesus when He arrives on the clouds of heaven and never again shed a tear or have a need.
For "surely" what He says He will do.
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Loving hugs,
