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Happy Wednesday!
My husband speaks Russian, German, and English. Sometimes, when we are with his family, he seamlessly switches between English with me, German with his siblings, and Russian with his parents, like it's nothing. I've grown accustomed to this and sometimes forget how truly impressive it is. Then I remember how the more German I learn, the more English I seem to forget, and I'm all the more impressed with my trilingual husband.
Sometimes I think I act like this in response to God's grace. I know He is gracious, and that's amazing, but I forget just how special and surprising that is! Let's continue on our journey through Psalm 145 by focusing on what verses 8-13 have to teach us about our great God and King and His surprising grace.
8 The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 The Lord is good to all,
and his mercy is over all that he has made.
10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
and all your saints shall bless you!
11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
and tell of your power,
12 to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
[The Lord is faithful in all his words.
and kind in all his works.]
Oh how the purple marks continued on my page in this section. Here, words like "gracious", "merciful", "good", "faithful", and "kind" jump out at me. While this passage also has much to proclaim about the glorious everlasting majesty of our God and His Kingdom, it is His grace that stood out to me as I read it, especially after reflecting on His greatness from yesterday.
It is important when you read a passage of Scripture to always consider the verses that surround it. If I only read these verses, I may take note that God is gracious and move on. Perhaps there are some words we use often in Christian circles and truths we know about God and that we discuss so often, we almost grow cold to how amazing they are. But when I consider the fact that God is gracious, right after seeing in yesterday's passage how great He is, the grace of God becomes something I absolutely marvel at. It becomes surprising.
Is the graciousness of God surprising to you? Sadly, when many people come into positions of power, they are corrupted by this influence and become selfish, controlling, and harsh. Isn't it amazing that our God, who is stronger and mightier than all others, is also gracious, merciful, and kind? As I reflect on His greatness, His graciousness becomes more and more amazing to me.
Our great God and King who is perfectly holy is "gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." Hallelujah that we, even with all of our sin, can approach the throne of God, in all His greatness, with confidence, because He is also gracious, and we have come to receive His grace through Jesus Christ.
Would you take a minute today to reflect on the grace of God? Remember, He is the great God and King of all eternity. Seeing God first in all His greatness makes his grace and mercy all the more astounding.
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