​​Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,

​​“This is the way, walk in it,”

​​Whenever you turn to the right hand

​​Or whenever you turn to the left.

God is gracious and merciful. He pities and pardons sinners. He has more love than we can imagine for Christ’s sake, who took away our sins. The believer is blessed by God with reconciliation: he’s at peace with Christ by faith. He sees his sins are gone, no matter how grievous, and he has the help of the Spirit. The failures of yesterday don’t stop the mercies of today. God convicts to cleanse! He wounds to heal! He gives grace to the afflicted.

If He abandoned us, then we’d never be saved. If He judged us by merit, then we’d perish forever. Yet, in tender mercy, He pitied us and taught us the gospel. He passed by our sins and gave us life instead. “And when I passed by you and saw you trodden down in your own blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live’ [Ezek 16:6]!” He always loved us in the covenant, and His predetermined purpose was to save [Eph 1:11]. Therefore, in sovereign mercy, He kept us from perishing and came in the Spirit’s power. “And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, but your eyes shall see your teachers [Isa 30:20].” Now, we have a voice within us echoing the word of God. Now, He speaks to us by Scripture.

Hear this voice and hearken. Believe His word. Don’t deny the testimony just because you are a sinner. His word is pity and compassion to the unworthy through Christ. “Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed [Luke 7:7].” He teaches us to fight sin by believing in our reconciliation and the help of the Spirit. We don’t walk by feelings or swallowed up by failures! Walk believing God.

The gospel is for people who’ve done wrong, so that He can teach us to do right. Hearken and hear forgiveness. Hear His love. Hear instructions for how to live, and pluck out your eye in repentance. “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell [Matt 5:29].” Go to Him by faith as a saving God.