The Ministry Of Goodness And Mercy

[Michael37]

Psalm 23:6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of Jehovah forever.

The 23rd Psalm starts with the imagery of sheep following their shepherd, using this in essence to describe the believer following Christ. The blessings and benefits of having the Lord as Shepherd are provided, leading to a commitment by His follower to minister goodness and mercy.   

These Scriptures speak of the blessings and attributes that accompany righteousness and salvation:

1. Isaiah 32:17

   • "The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever."

   • Righteousness brings peace and confidence.

2. Romans 14:17

   • "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."

   • Righteousness leads to peace and joy.

3. Proverbs 21:21

   • "Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor."

   • Pursuing righteousness brings life, prosperity, and honor.

4. Isaiah 61:10

   • "I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness."

   • Salvation and righteousness bring joy and divine favor.

5. Romans 6:22

   • "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life."

   • Righteousness and salvation lead to holiness and eternal life.

Aligning with God's Will by following Christ produces ministrations of goodness and mercy.

David ministered goodness and mercy.

King David is often seen as a figure who ministered goodness and mercy through his actions and leadership. His life, as chronicled in the Hebrew Bible, shows numerous instances where he demonstrated these qualities:

1. Compassion and Kindness:

   • David showed mercy to Saul, his predecessor, despite Saul's attempts to kill him. In 1 Samuel 24, David spares Saul's life when he has the opportunity to kill him, demonstrating remarkable mercy.

   • He extended kindness to Mephibosheth, the disabled son of his friend Jonathan, showing loyalty and compassion. In 2 Samuel 9, David ensures that Mephibosheth is cared for and treated with dignity.

2. Justice and Righteousness:

   • As a king, David sought to rule with justice and fairness. His psalms often reflect his commitment to righteousness and his desire to lead in accordance with God's will.

3. Worship and Spiritual Leadership:

   • David's psalms and his organization of worship in Israel reflect his deep spiritual leadership. He led the nation in worship and in seeking God's guidance, fostering a community centered on faith and divine principles.

David's life wasn't without its flaws and failings, but his overall legacy is one of striving to embody goodness and mercy, both in his personal actions and his leadership. He serves as a powerful example of how these qualities can be integral to a righteous life.

Just some thoughts about ministering goodness and mercy. 

[In the Clouds]

One of the most important teachings from Jesus is The Beatitudes spoken in the Sermon at the Mount found in Matthew 5.  It speaks to the followers and children of God of life situations, behaviors, conditions of the heart, and relationship with The Father.  It speaks to our spirits and gives reason for hope and faithfulness.

Matthew Chapter 5

¹ And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

² And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

³ Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴ Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

⁵ Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

⁶ Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

⁷ Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

¹⁰ Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

¹² Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

  

[Dennis1209]

Psalm 23:4-5 (KJV) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. ⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Few realize or discuss the significance and history of the Shadow of Death, an actual geographic location in ancient times and today—namely, Bashon, in the shadow of Mt. Hermon. For brevity, of the twelve spies, only Joshua and Caleb believed in God and voted to take it. Associated with Genesis 3:15, 6:1-5, and what the Hebrews articulated, wrote about, and documented (1 Enoch, DSS, Josephus, Book of Giants, and other pseudepigrapha). 

King David finished the job more or less.

[AdHoc]

3 hours ago, In the Clouds said:

One of the most important teachings from Jesus is The Beatitudes spoken in the Sermon at the Mount found in Matthew 5.  It speaks to the followers and children of God of life situations, behaviors, conditions of the heart, and relationship with The Father.  It speaks to our spirits and gives reason for hope and faithfulness.

Matthew Chapter 5

¹ And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

² And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

³ Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴ Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

⁵ Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

⁶ Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

⁷ Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

¹⁰ Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

¹² Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

  

Great Post.

I'd like to add a brief thought.

Do we actually know what it costs God for us to have mercy and goodness? Everything! Some are astounded at such thought. Is not God unlimited? Does He not possess heaven and earth and has He not shown while on earth that He  is able to make wealth and heal the sick. Can He not give life back?

Yes He can. But that was before the fall of man. Now, as 100% righteous, He cannot wink at sin. He must judge - and this brings only blessings of justice to Him. We are lost. It took His Son on Golgotha for this wonderful God to extend mercy and goodness to David, or anybody.

The full price had to be paid - by one innocent. What a God!

[Alive]

I have found it helpful to to frame this like this…God took the responsibility of redeeming His Creation on Himself.

It’s profound and inevitable, if the Creation was to be redeemed.

He could have simply ‘unmade’ it. He did not because His eternal purpose was and is to have a family after kind….and a wee promise long ago made.

[Michael37]

The default devotion from Psalm 23:6 on the subject of goodness and mercy is to only look at God as ministering these two blessings, and how cosy it is to have them always trailing along, like puppies, one preacher said.

 

Excuse me while I barf.

 

Jesus taught that as we have received such blessings so we should also give them.

 

Example:

 

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant in the New Testament. Matthew 18:21-35:

A servant owed his king an enormous amount of money. The king, moved by compassion, forgave the servant's debt entirely. However, the servant soon met a fellow servant who owed him a much smaller amount. Instead of showing the same mercy, he demanded repayment and had the man thrown into prison. When the king learned of this, he was furious and handed the unforgiving servant over to be punished until he paid back all he owed.

[Alive]

Its seems to me that we easily forget the simplicity of “ love the Lord your God and your neighbor as yourself”.