Tag: Merciful

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time

A God of Forgiveness

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based on the LGG Study, From Broken to Restored / w4d4

Scripture: Nehemiah 9:5-37 / SOAP: Nehemiah 9:16-17

“But they—our ancestors—behaved presumptuously; they rebelled and did not obey your commandments. 17 They refused to obey and did not recall your miracles that you had performed among them. Instead, they rebelled and appointed a leader to return to their bondage in Egypt. But you are a God of forgiveness, merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and unfailing in your loyal love. You did not abandon them,

Nehemiah 9:16-17

Today’s journey is spent solely in the ninth chapter of Nehemiah. It opens with a beautiful call to worship. Perhaps you’ve read it before or have been in a church service where it was read aloud – it is one of my favorites and it merits a bit of our attention. While it is not the centerpiece of the chapter verses five through fifteen recount miraculous and compassionate acts of our God. God’s works are extolled. He is lifted high with glory and honor for all He did for His people.

Stand up and praise the Lord your God who is from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and all that is on it the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything and the multitudes of Heaven worship You.

Nehemiah 9:5-6

However, verse sixteen brings an abrupt halt to the concentrated worship inducing praises of God and what He had done. The remainder of the passage then goes back and forth from focusing on Israelites rebellious acts despite what God had done for them and God’s goodness. It points out habitual rebellion … their calls of destress … and God’s abundant compassion … that is until He gave them over to their enemies. The passage highlights conviction and confession and having to deal with the consequences of sin. It paints the picture of how God’s people, despite God’s goodness, patience, and compassion toward them, became slaves in the land He had graciously given them to enjoy.

Over and Over it was the Same Pattern

But they rebelled … they refused to obey … BUT GOD did not abandon them … they did atrocious things … BUT GOD showed compassion, gave His Spirit, provided food and clothes … But they rebelled … BUT GOD heard and delivered them … but they turned again and God gave them over to their enemies …

Excerpts from Nehemiah 9

The back and forth rebellion and atrocities of the people versus God’s compassion and forgiveness are bitter-sweet pictures but good lessons and reminders for us today. May we learn from them and strive to be grateful and faithful people of our God! May continually remember that He is forgiving, merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and unfailing in loyal love. The One who has not abandoned us but embraced us through the blood of Jesus Christ, His only begotten son.

Making It Personal – Reflection

When was the last time you were so convicted by the Holy Spirit that it led you to worship? Have you ever experienced this?

Going Further

What the Bible says about Rebellion

Posted in God is good

Simply and Profoundly Good

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Taste and see that the Lord is good.
    Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

Psalm 34:8

Father, You are good! My mind never doubts this sustaining TRUTH. You are simply and yet profoundly good. My heart rejoices in Your goodness to sustain, to love and teach, and to build up those who now belong to You. In Your goodness You brought us in and have transformed us from strangers and from enemies to members of Your family, not simply or haphazardly brought in but carefully joined together in Christ.

 So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.

Ephesians 2: 19-22

In your goodness You protect and strengthen, You comfort and encourage, and You fill us and guard us with a peace that passes all understanding. Surely, as the Psalmist wrote, You guide us on paths of righteousness for Your namesake. However, I have learned that even when we walk through the valleys that seem dark and lonely and covered with the daunting shadows of sorrow, discouragement, and fear – in Your goodness You are also there. I find You quietly dispelling the shadows with the gentle reminder from your Spirit that we have no cause for fear or discouragement, for in Your goodness You will strengthen us and You will help us. You will hold us up with Your victorious right hand.

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.

    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you.

    I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

My mind is riddled with a series of questions that beg to be asked. Why do You love us who were Your enemies? Why have you made us part of Your family and continue to build us up into Your Holy Temple? Why do You lead us and show us the right way to go or dispel the shadows in the valleys? The only answer that comes is this: You are simply and profoundly good! Even if I had not tasted and seen Your goodness for myself – You, proclaimed Yourself to Moses as – “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth”, Exodus 34:6.

Now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”

Psalm 34:5-7 NKJV

One final question lingers – what is my response? To which I gladly and humbly answer – relying once again on Your goodness … Answer graciously this prayer my God – that I might convey the truth , reality, and depth of Your goodness in my thoughts, both written and spoken, and in my life lived out, so that others might truly know and forever share in Your goodness through Christ Jesus my Lord – Your good and perfect gift of salvation to all who believe.

“For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 6:23

How great is the goodness
    you have stored up for those who fear you.
You lavish it on those who come to you for protection,
    blessing them before the watching world.

Psalm 31:19 NLT

Want to know more about the goodness of God, salvation through Christ, eternal life, or how to get through the valleys? Reply below or message me at mryelnb@aol.com –