In Christ, "Surely, goodness and mercy shall hunt me down..."

Believers, have you ever been subject to the popular situation where a preacher puts you on edge with "time-bound" donations, makes you feel like you lost something and are now prey to the devil because you missed a "special anointing service" or asks you to "sow a seed now" so that God can owe you a job or a house?

People actually borrow money in order to comply with their timelines. With bank details flashing on TV screens, such preachers usually say things like "There's a special window open for anyone who gives or pledges such and such amount of money right now. Now. Right now. The window is about to close now so hurry. You don't want to miss God's goodness and mercy at this special time. Going, going, gone!"

But wait a minute! The popular Psalm 23 says “…goodness and mercy shall pursue me…” because “The Lord is my Shepherd,” and not because we sowed a seed! You who cannot pledge their very specific amounts feel like you have missed an opportunity for God to bless you. In essence, they lie that God blessing you or saving you from wrath depends on your own ability to give or do. While this may apply to people that are under law, it isn't so for we who are in Christ (under the New Covenant of Grace.) In Christ, "FREELY" is how we receive from our Father in heaven. See Romans 8:32-

"He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"

The "give now, or else God will not bless" situation is akin to a parent neglecting her child or letting her spend the night alone in school and without care because the child was not in the place where they agreed for her to be picked up! The parent will ransack the school and will not rest until she finds her disobedient but beloved child — goodness and mercy in pursuit of the lost! Her priority is her child's well-being and happiness. Plus, the child's ability to be at the right place and at the right time is dependent on the kind of training she is receiving from her parent. To us, Christ says "How much more your Father in heaven!

David summed it up beautifully in Psalm 139:7–12 (MSG)

“Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?

To be out of your sight?

If I climb to the sky, you’re there!

If I go underground, you’re there!

If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon,

You’d find me in a minute—

you’re already there waiting!...”

This was David who was under law where the Spirit of God used to fall upon people for specific reasons and then leave. In Christ, we have the Holy Spirit in us PERMANENTLY!

Consider Psalm 23:6 -

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord

Forever.”

The word "follow" in the first line does not do justice to "radaph," the Hebrew word that it was translated from. Radaph means “to pursue, to set off after someone in order to catch him.” The word is frequently used to describe the action of chasing down one's enemies or being chased down by them. Like an enemy in hot pursuit! Relentlessly. This is how our Lord Jesus Christ’s goodness and mercy chase after us!

Believers, Christ is our Shepherd. With His rod, He protects us from our enemies. With His staff, He keeps us from going astray. We are comforted knowing that in Him, like sheep with a Shepherd, He does ALL THE WORK of making sure that we are at the right place at the right time. He leads us on the path of righteousness so we GET TO BE at the right place at the right time. He said "...for without me you can do nothing." John 15:5.

Believers, in Christ, the windows of heaven can NEVER close on us, just as the life of the true Vine NEVER stops flowing into the branch. Come rain or shine, the life of Christ the true Vine never stops flowing in us.

So next time you read this Psalm or next time you feel so "bleh" or just don't know what to do, think of the goodness and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ actively hunting you down, pursuing you relentlessly through every facet of your life, even as, like sheep, you unwittingly and actively try to flee or dodge away! He will catch you and when He does, He will bless you; everyday! Liam Neeson in Taken doesn’t even come close!

Study on the life of Jewish shepherds and you will see just how totally helpless we are without our own Shepherd, Jesus Christ. He is our Justifier. THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Believe Right and you will Live Right.