You're being followed
You’re being followed, Bestie.
Goodness and mercy follow you (Psalm 23:6). Favor surrounds you (Psalms 5:12). And blessings chase you (Deuteronomy 28:2). If that doesn’t get you excited, I’ll rejoice for you.
Speaking of rejoicing, my husband Kenya and I were doing precisely that after we received news that our teenaged son, Kedar, had been in a car accident a little over a week ago. Of course, we weren’t happy about the wreck itself. However, we were (and still are) overwhelmed by the graciousness of God.
So, here’s what happened. Kedar was driving in clear weather, when things suddenly turned treacherous. A violent rainstorm resulted in slick roads that caused the car to hydroplane. Now, hydroplaning is so scary because the tires lose their grip and begin gliding on the water instead of the road, leading to loss of control. When this happens, there isn’t much the driver can do. Steering and braking become next to impossible. And since our 19-year-old—despite being a good, careful, responsible driver— was unable to stop the car, in a blink, it went flying off the road and crashing into a ditch.
Here’s the kicker.
The car came to a stop just in the nick of time. Two of its wheels were hanging over the edge of a cliff with a steep 20-foot drop. Had the vehicle shifted a bit more, Kedar and the passenger he was carrying would have gone over, plunging into the rocky valley below. Had that happened, our family would be mourning instead of rejoicing today.
Though the car was totaled, no one was harmed. Praise God! Kedar was able to begin training camp as planned without a bruise, scratch, or an injury that could have easily derailed his soon-to-begin college football season.
Moments like this remind me that God is always there—even when we find ourselves about to go over the edge, whether that’s literally or figuratively. The Lord is consistently demonstrating His goodness and mercy that follow us all the days of our lives according to Psalm 23:6. So, whether you find yourself on the mountaintop or in the valley low, you’re being followed by goodness and mercy. In the Promised Land or the wilderness, goodness and mercy follow you. In moments of peace or stormy weather, goodness and mercy follow you. Wherever you go, you can never drift too far from the goodness and mercy of God.
Consider for a moment a man in the Bible who served as a treasurer for the Ethiopian Queen. He was alone in the desert and needed help according to Acts 8:26-40. As this great and important man was in the wilderness studying the word of God, he did not understand what he was reading and needed some assistance.
So, God sent an angel of the Lord to speak to Philip, a devoted man of God, one of seven faithful ones that had been commissioned by the early church to minister to widows and the poor. Philip had been in Samaria, preaching Jesus and working wonders. Demons were cast out. The paralyzed and the lame were healed, and the city rejoiced (vv. 4-8). Philip had gained quite the reputation and undoubtedly experienced the jubilation that comes from being effective in ministry. But God pulled Philip away from the fanfare and mega crowds and thrust him into the wilderness. He was sent to a lonely, dry destination to assist the Ethiopian royal servant in understanding a Scripture he was reading about Jesus in Isaiah 53:7-8.
Here’s a quick word for somebody. Sometimes God ordains that you occupy dry places to accomplish His will. Even if you’re in a dry season, friend, God is there in the midst of the drought.
Ah, but that’s another message for another time.
“You are surrounded by the overwhelming goodness, mercy, and favor of God no matter what circumstances indicate. Expect God to demonstrate His goodness!”
In today’s story, Philip asked the Ethiopian man, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
“How can I,” the man said, “unless someone explains it to me?”
The Holy Spirit orchestrated this introduction between two strangers to accomplish the will of the Father. Philip was able to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with the man, baptize him, and change his life forever for the better.
How awesome is that?
Just as goodness and mercy followed the Ethiopian eunuch into the wilderness, God sent me to reassure somebody reading that the same thing is happening for you. Exactly what you need is about to show up as a sign that goodness and mercy are following you into your wilderness, into your valley, and into your storm.
Listen, I know the storms of life will sometimes push you right to the brink, but the hand of the Lord is forever outstretched, releasing protection and provision, blessings and favor, harvests and miracles. This is confirmation that the goodness and mercy of the Lord will manifest in your life at every turn. No matter how scary, perilous, unfortunate, or inconvenient the circumstances are that you find yourself in, the Lord is there. Jesus, the Risen King, is yet alive and well. He is still performing miracles, still causing what the enemy meant for evil to work to your advantage, and still working for you despite what comes against you!
Whatever you go through and wherever you find yourself, there is no valley deep enough, no wilderness isolated enough, no storm intense enough, no problem hard enough, no conundrum confusing enough, and no challenge great enough to block the goodness and mercy of God from manifesting in incredible ways.
Slip that hand up and tell the Lord, “Thank You for Your mercy.”
Lamentations 3:22 CEV—which is the sweetener I’m stirring into your cup of inspiration today—says, “The LORD's kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed.”
As you drink down the contents of your cup, rejoice in knowing that the mercy of the Lord will continue to show up daily. Whatever way things may appear right now, you can be confident that you are covered, blessed and favored, and God will find ways to send you confirmation of this truth. This is just one of those ways.
Now, let’s pray.
God, thank You for Your goodness, mercy, and favor that follows and surrounds me wherever I go. In challenging times when life feels like it will push me over the edge, help me to remember that Your mighty arm is outstretched to catch me before I fall. I appreciate and anticipate all the ways You will demonstrate Your divine grace, miracles, signs and wonders in my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you desire prayer, please allow me, along with my intercessory prayer team, to stand in faith with you for breakthrough. We would be so honored. We have seen God work over and over again. There is power in agreement. Click here to request prayer now.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!
