◄ Remember His Former Mercies  ►

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living
Psalm 27:13

Man’s Flawed Verdict

The story is not over until is has the final full-stop in position.. but how easy it is to arrive at the conclusion too early. How quick we are to reach a final verdict on insufficient evidence. How easy it is for us to make a mistake about a situation that we are going through. How often we commit foolish blunders in falsely assuming an outcome in our daily walk. How many times do we falter thus in our everyday lives and relationships? How routinely do we discover this to be our experience, in our walk with the Lord?

God’s Perfect Verdict

Remember the Word of God is true and He has heard our supplications. He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us, and He has graven us on the palms of His hands – in love. It is indeed a comfort to know that our foolish faults have been a common flaw down through the centuries. The Psalms are replete with examples where false assumptions were made.

David – Trusts in God

David the shepherd, the king.. David the man after God’s own heart.. cried in anguish and alarm:- I am cut off from your sight.. but God heard the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cried to You for help.” Psa.31:22. Remember the Word of God is true. He hears our pleas for mercy. He understands our silent entreaties, when words fail. He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us, and He has graven us on the palms of His hands – IN LOVE.

Asaph – Appeals to God

Also Asaph in his moment of torment and trial questioned the steadfastness of God. He questioned His own standing in the eyes of the Lord:- Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favourable? Has His steadfast love forever ceased? Are His promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up his compassion? Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of The Most High. I will remember the deeds of the Lord. Yes, I will remember Your wonders of old.” Psa.77:7-11  Remember His words are true.. He hears our pleas for mercy. He understands our silent entreaties, when words fail. He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us and told us never to forsake us and He has graven us on the palms of His hands – in love.

Jeremiah – Relies on God

Jeremiah the weeping prophet laments in agony with grief-stricken tears crying:- “Water closed over my head.. I said I am lost. I called on your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit.. but you heard my plea:- ‘Do not close your ear to my cry for help!’ You came near when I called on You. You said, ‘Do not fear.“Lam.3:54-57  Remember, the Word of God is true. He hears our pleas for mercy and He understands our silent entreaties, when words fail. He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us and told us never to fear.. and He has graven us on the palms of His hands – in love.

The Same Yesterday

Sometimes delay in our prayers for deliverance appears to go unnoticed. Sometimes when troubles and uncertainties cover us like a flood, we reach a hasty conclusion that God has delayed.. that God has forgotten.. that God has left us.. that God does not care – that God does not hear. But all such assumptions are false for God never forgets His servants. All such presumptions are foolish for God’s promises to hold fast forever. He hears our pleas for mercy. He understands our silent entreaties, when words fail. He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us, and He has graven us on the palms of His hands – in love. His Son was given in your stead.. because God loved you so much.

The Same Today

O beloved saint do you question how to cope when delays become unfathomable trials? O weary soul do you try to sort things out when God’s apparent denials, disquiet your soul? We are to take heart, alongside the sweet Psalmist of Israel. We are to call to mind the deeds of the Lord. We are to remember the wonders of old recorded in His Word. We are to recall as did the weeping prophet – reassurances that God said “do not fear”  And He still hears our pleas for mercy. And He still understands our silent entreaties, when words fail. He still keeps His promise to never to leave us nor forsake us.. and He has graven us on the palms of His hands – in love.. and His Son was given in your stead – because God loves you so much.

The Same Forever

Call to mind the former mercies that He has bestowed on you in time past.. will He do anything less at this moment in time? Consider the saints of past time and the prophets of old.. all were comforted when they remembered His former mercies. Such reassurances kept the psalmist from fainting in the day of adversity. Such promises from God sustained his faith until his deliverance came. Are you weighed down by mountainous distresses, confusion and depression? Are you being tried and tested to the very limit of your endurance? Call to mind the former mercies that He has bestowed on you in time past.. and expect Him to act and hold you steady as He did the saints of old.  He still hears our pleas for mercy. He still understands our silent entreaties, when words fail. He still encourages us with these words – “Do not fear” He still keeps His promise – never to leave us nor forsake us. And He has graven us on the palms of His hands, forever – IN LOVE.