“He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities”(Psalm 103:10).
TEXT — Psalm 103:6-12
Message
A young man who had broken his father’s rules limiting his movements in the community refused to return home one night, afraid of the punishment awaiting him. He sought refuge in the nearby residence of his father’s close friend. He told his host that his father was a temperamental man. In his anger, he would scourge him in excess of his wrongdoing. He pleaded with him to allow him to stay away from such an injury inflicting parent that night.
Christians with a perfect understanding of the relationship they have with their heavenly Father do not harbour such misgivings. They know that, as emphasised by today’s text, God’s mercy and grace run deeper than our faults and failures. He loves His faithful children such that He would appropriately chasten them when they err. He would not pamper them. He would not want their sin to take them into eternal perdition in hell. So, as they realise their transgression and seek forgiveness, He returns them graciously into His warm embrace, giving them more grace to live the overcoming life.
Only an exceptionally loving Father would not reward us “according to our iniquities”. Not one soul can stand His full wrath if it should come upon man. His holiness would not stand sin. Though He is gracious and merciful, we must not take this for granted or as a liberty to indulge in sin.
As we receive the mercy of our gracious God, we should express our appreciation by constantly staying away from sinful acts, thoughts and appearances that offend and provoke Him. Pleasing the Lord all the days of our lives must become our priority. And we receive grace to do this as we pray.
Thought for the day
God’s grace embraces us in our inadequacy and strengthens us with His mercy for righteous living.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
