His mercy can be blocked

Joshua 12–13; Psalm 145; Jeremiah 6; Matthew 20

Last night just before midnight a thunderstorm hit our city. Usually such storms are exciting with all the noise and driving rain. This time it wasn’t. Two times the lightning was violent and very close. I almost expected someone’s house to be on fire and my heart was doing loop-de-loops. The wind and rain were also furious but nothing like those two bolts of lightning.

This morning the sun is shining as if nothing happened. No news of ruined homes or other damages. I thought of the NT verse that speaks of the goodness of God to send rain on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45) then read today’s psalm where God’s goodness is praised. It seems universal like the rain, yet David did make distinctions between that and the goodness the Lord shows only to His people.

David speaks in a general sense about God’s attitude toward all people:

The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. (Psalm 145:8–9)

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. The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. (Psalm 145:13–17)

These verses speak of His great patience and love. He is good to all and His mercy is shown in the many things He does for people that we cannot do for ourselves, like breathing and making it rain. He is kind — even though resisted and resented. He supplies food and takes care of the basics of life. The whole world experiences His goodness.

David also speaks in specific ways about God’s relationship to those who are His people through faith in His Son:

All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you! They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. (Psalm 145:10–12)

All His works refers to whatever He has done in creation and the regeneration of His people, His saints. We who believe declare His power and talk about Him in ways that those without faith do not recognize or do. For all who have new life through faith, this is significant. David says more about how anyone can be saints and part of His kingdom, “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.” (Psalm 145:18–19) This blessing is for those who are poor in spirit and recognize their poverty. It is not for the proud who think they don’t need Him.

The last two verses of this psalm mixes the two groups and speaks of their destiny:

The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever. (Psalm 145:20–21)

My life is preserved for eternity. God gave me this life, yet it is available to everyone willing to call on Him and speak truth to Him, particularly about sin and needing forgiveness. He calls those who reject this offer ‘wicked’ and their destiny is not the same. Because of His incredible goodness, I can praise Him, yet He desires ‘all flesh’ to bless Him forever.

APPLY: Grateful humility today, and the rest of my days, thankful for salvation from sin — and that those electric bolts of lightning were not meant to scare or destroy, merely to remind me of His incredible power!