David didn’t say, ‘Maybe, possibly, or I’ve a hunch.’ No, ‘Surely goodness and mercy.’ With God it’s a sure thing! James writes: ‘…with Whom there is never the slightest variation or shadow of inconsistency’ (James 1:17 Phillips). Our moods may shift, our minds may change, our devotion may falter, but God never does. 

Listen: ‘If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself’ (2 Timothy 2:13 NLT). On your worst days you can still say, ‘Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me...’ ‘All the days?’ ’Think of the days ahead and what do you see? Days at home raising a family? Days in a dead-end job? Days of loneliness or poor health? Days spent caring for a sick loved one? 

‘Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…’ Goodness to provide, mercy to pardon; you’ll never have a day without them! ‘…shall follow me…’ That sounds like another promise God made: ‘All these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee…’ (Deutronomy 28:2). 

Note the words…’follow…come upon…overtake’. You can’t get away from them! God’s goodness followed Jonah to the bottom of the sea, Daniel into a lion’s den, and John into exile and opened heaven for him. Stop and look back: think of the scrapes God’s brought you through, the messes He’s helped clean up, the doors He’s opened for you and what do you see? Blessings you don’t deserve, can’t escape, and are new every morning! ‘But some days I don’t feel God’s presence.’ Then trust His promise!

"Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble. The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes. The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness. I said, "O LORD , have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against you." My enemies say of me in malice, "When will he die and his name perish?" Whenever one comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; then he goes out and spreads it abroad. All my enemies whisper together against me; they imagine the worst for me, saying, "A vile disease has beset him; he will never get up from the place where he lies." Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. But you, O LORD , have mercy on me; raise me up, that I may repay them. I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me. In my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever. Praise be to the LORD , the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen. "

(Many of the reflections on each page are used with the kind permission of United Christian Broadcastors (UCB) from their FREE daily devotional - The Word for Today. They allow the publication of 52 of their passages per year and I find their messages apt and though-provoking for the times we live in.)

A Circle of Prayer around the world praying for and with each other, for peace and for a world in crisis. Please read more about it and perhaps join us, prayer was never more needed than it is in these times!

Praying all year round for the souls of our deceased relatives and friends, for the souls of those most in need of prayer and for those souls in purgatory who have nobody to pray for them.