Christmas 2021: Acknowledging God's Goodness and Mercy

“Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, And I shall dwell forever [throughout all my days] in the house and in the presence of the Lord.” (Psalm 23:6, AMP)

“Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout [carefully observing the divine Law], and looking for the Consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed). Prompted by the Spirit, he came into the temple [enclosure]; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him the custom required by the Law,  Simeon took Him into his arms, and blessed and praised and thanked God, and said, “Now, Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to leave [this world] in peace, according to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your Salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a Light for revelation to the Gentiles [to disclose what was previously unknown], and [to bring] the praise and honor and glory of Your people Israel.” (Luke 2: 25-32, AMP)

Over the last month, we’ve been picking apart Psalm 23, one of the most recognizable passages of scripture there is. David, the author of the psalm was a king, a shepherd, a son, but most importantly, a man that was passionately invested in a relationship with God. If anyone understood the deep nuances of every line of this psalm, it was David himself. If there was anyone qualified to compare God to a shepherd, it was David.

In six, short verses, we were taken through the green pastures and still waters of a life laid in submission to the Lord; a life that allows God to lead and take care of our needs. From there, we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, an ominous valley surrounded by the trials of life on all sides. Then, we sit down at a table prepared by the Lord, but a table set in a room full of our enemies, an oasis of comfort and rest in the middle of a not-so-wonderful situation.

This week, David ends his psalm remembering that God’s goodness and mercy has followed him– and will continue to be with him– all the days of his life. And it’s true: God’s goodness and mercy, or unfailing love in some versions, is always evident in the life of the sheep that follow the Shepherd. It is just as present in the green pastures and still waters as it is in the valley and the table set in front of our enemies. 

Suffering is a part of life, and we are not excluded from it by the blood of Jesus. In fact, for many, suffering greatly increases because of the blood of Christ. Martyrdom, although not prevalent in America, is alive and well in many parts of the world. In the freer countries that are more at liberty to practice Christianity, suffering might take the form of isolation, social persecution, or depriving ourselves of pleasures that non-believers indulge in daily. And because of that suffering, following Christ has become less and less popular.

But in the midst of our suffering, God’s goodness and mercy is still not only available but bountiful and ever-present. All the days of our life. We don’t have to wait for eternity in heaven to realize the depths of it. Glory to God, it is available to us the moment we become regenerated under Jesus’ blood. It follows us, as the psalm says, all the days of our lives. 

You see, in those days, to eat at a table– like we discussed last week– was an Old Testament sign of a deep bond or loyalty to each other. In not so many words, to eat at the same table with someone was to establish a covenant with someone. It was a deeply meaningful thing to break bread and enjoy a meal together. Well, just like I said last week, God has set us a table and invited us to sit and eat with Him. The moment we sit and commit to that table, we are established into God’s covenant and recipients of the wonderful things that are involved with belonging to His house. 

Sitting at that table is not just a flippant dinner invitation. It is God’s own hands reaching out to us, pulling us in, and adopting us into His heavenly home. We can be integrated into that and enjoy the love, mercy, and goodness of the Father on earth and in heaven. To be His sheep– to be led and cared for by God– is to know that He is faithful through every day of our lives, whether we can see Him working or not.

Two weeks after Jesus’ birth, Joseph and Mary brought Baby Jesus to the temple to offer a sacrifice and dedicate their son back to God. While there, the young couple runs into Simeon, a righteous and devout man that scripture said, “had the Holy Spirit upon him.” By the Holy Spirit, Simeon knew that he would not see death before he saw the face of the Messiah. This promise would be fulfilled as Mary and Joseph dedicated Jesus back to God, and Simeon rejoiced over seeing the long-awaited Savior saying He will be the Savior of the whole world, Jew and Gentile, and bring glory to God. 

For Simeon, a man who lived a long life and was familiar with all the valleys, pastures, and tables it had to offer, he was also well-acquainted with the deep goodness of God. A man doesn’t just flippantly have the Holy Spirit upon him, Old or New Testament. Someone who walked that closely with the Lord had to have known every deep mercy there is under God’s covenant. For many, we might have lost hope waiting all the days of our lives for God to fulfill His promises. It takes a deeply mature kind of Christian to tirelessly hold onto a promise from God day in and day out, and still be sure of His protection, love, and goodness. 

When I read the end of Psalm 23 and pair it with the story of Simeon, I am filled with hope. Maybe this year has been hard. Maybe you’re reluctant to claim that next year will be “your year,” because the last few years haven’t been exactly a dream. Maybe it feels like you’ve been walking through the valley and sitting before your enemies for far longer than you ever thought you would. I get that, and I see you.

But at the risk of sounding over-optimistic, I’d like to gently remind you that even in those uncomfortable places, God’s goodness and mercy is following you. Even in the valley, the Shepherd has left the ninety-nine to walk with you to the end. Even at that tense table before your enemies, the Shepherd is sitting with you and wants to break bread with you.

Hold fast, friends. If you are still walking with the Lord, then His promises haven’t failed. If you have fallen away from the flock, turn around. I can guarantee you, the Lord our Shepherd is just behind you with His rod and staff, His goodness and mercy. Remember Simeon, who stood fast in the promises God made him, to the very end of his life. I pray that in 2022, our faith would be that strong, tenacious, and built on the rock. 

And the thing about his mercies? They’re new every morning, and certainly every new year.