“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” Psalm 86:5

How comforting this passage is for sinners like you and me! Though we have sinned and stand condemned by God’s holy law, we can turn to the Lord God for mercy and forgiveness.

Like the father of the prodigal son (cf. Luke 15:20), our God stands ready and awaits our return to Him that He might shower upon us His grace and mercy in Jesus Christ. He stands ready with open arms for us to return to Him in repentance and faith that He might pardon our iniquity and give to us a place in this everlasting kingdom.

How can a holy and just God forgive us sinners and receive us back as His beloved children? It is because “Jesus Christ the righteous … is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1-2). It is because Jesus, God’s Son and our Savior, fulfilled the righteous demands of God’s law for us and then suffered on the cross the full and just punishment for all our sins — even for the sins of the whole world — and rose again in victory on the third day!

And note that the Bible does not teach that all are already justified and forgiven because of Christ’s death and resurrection. It teaches that God, for Jesus’ sake, stands ready to forgive and to show His abundant mercy unto all who call upon Him with faith in Jesus and His atoning sacrifice.

Because of Jesus and His blood shed on the cross for the sins of the world, the Lord is good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon Him.

How comforting this is for lost sinners! Let’s repent and return to our God and Maker through faith in Christ Jesus and His cross!

Thank you, O God, for the sacrifice of Your Son in our stead and for Your readiness to forgive our sins and show to us plenteous mercy for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]