Do you remember the last time you were asked to introduce yourself to a big group of people? It always feels so awkward to me. I think, “What were those things the group leader asked us to say? What do these people really want to know?”It’s hard to sum up who you are in just a few sentences.   

This month we’re walking through Psalm 103 together as David remembered all of God’s benefits. In verses 6-14, David remembered what the Lord told His people about Himself: His righteousness, His character, and His forgiveness. 

“He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” (Psalm 103:7-8) 

In verse 8, David echoed the words God spoke about Himself when He  proclaimed His name to Moses in Exodus 34:6. We know this is God’s character, because God chose to reveal Himself. The Lord is merciful. He is gracious. He is patient with us, and His constant, faithful, covenant love overflows. 

David continued in Psalm 103 to try to capture with words the steadfast love and forgiveness of God: 

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:11-12) 

David used some big-time analogies to portray these benefits for God’s people. God’s steadfast love is as high as the heavens are above the earth. How far do the heavens reach? Further than our human minds can imagine! 

Our sins have been separated from us as far as the east is from the west. I wonder if David saw the sun rise in the east and set in the west and imagined places in both directions that he’d never see in his lifetime. He wanted us to know that when God removes our sin, it becomes untouchable. God’s forgiveness is complete, sufficient, and permanent. 

This forgiveness is given to God’s people through our Savior, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:8 tells us that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” We can look to Christ and remember God’s steadfast love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness. 

No matter what you face this week, remember God’s steadfast love and forgiveness. 

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Am I the only mom who hates Chutes and Ladders? It’s the board game that never ends! You finally get your cardboard kid up to the 80s or 90s, and then you hit that giant chute back to the bottom. You might get lucky and hit a ladder or two along the way. But if everyone keeps hitting those chutes, you start to wonder if anyone will ever win the game and put you out of your misery! 

Maybe, like me, you feel that way about the Christian life sometimes. You start to make a little progress exercising self-control over your thoughts or your actions, but then you mess up. You practice kindness and gentleness with your family for a couple of days, but it doesn’t last and your temper erupts. You dig into God’s Word or sit with Him in prayer for a few mornings in a row but then go back to hitting the snooze button. 

Little ladders up, giant chutes down. 

“The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” (Psalm 138:8)

Today’s Scripture brings comfort to our chute-like moments. The Lord will fulfill His purpose for you as He conforms you to the image of Christ. (Romans 8:29) Yes, there will be ups and downs. There will be mistakes with consequences. There will be successes that seem short-lived. But because of the Lord’s steadfast love for you, He will not forsake the work of His hands. And you are the work of His hands. 

God has saved you by His grace, and He’s sanctifying you today as you grow in Christlikeness. Through all the ladders and slides, each and every one of His purposes for you will be fulfilled. He can even bring His purposes about as we sit on our bottoms at the end of a chute. Even there, His grace will find us. 

No matter what you face this week, the Lord will fulfill His purpose for you.

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