Read: Psalm 103:8-13
The LORD is . . . abounding in steadfast love. (v. 8)
How would someone describe your character? Are there any similarities or differences in how others see you and how you see yourself? The Lord described his character to Moses on Mount Sinai: “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Exod. 34:6). God is described this way throughout Scripture. His character does not change. Would you describe God this way according to how you have experienced him in your life?
In our passage today, David praises God using these same descriptive words the Lord used with Moses. He is merciful and gracious. This means he’s not pointing his finger at you when you’ve disappointed him. When we have sinned, David says that he removes our sin “as far as the east is from the west” (Ps. 103:12). Instead of showing anger, he shows us compassion because we are his children. His love for us is abounding. Abounding means in excessive, large amounts. God’s love for us is impossible to measure. It abounds endlessly. And more importantly, his love for us never changes. It is steadfast. And nothing, not even death itself, can separate us from “the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39).
Do you know this is how much God loves you? We can believe this truth in our head. But I pray that you will believe this in your heart.
As you pray, know the abounding love that God has for you.
Nancy Boote, an ordained minister in the Reformed Church in America, lives in Holland, Michigan, with her husband. She serves in a variety of leadership positions within the denomination. Besides being a wife, mother, and grandmother, Nancy enjoys taking prayer walks, hiking in nature, mentoring, and has a heart for justice matters.
