Goodness and Severity – Stepping in the Light

“Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” Romans 11:22

Many people wish to contrive their own definition of God. Rather than look in the Bible to see what God has told us about Himself, they just like to think about what they would prefer God’s nature and character to be. Sometimes they use scripture to identify the characteristics they wish to emphasize and simply ignore all of the others. It is common for people to single out the love of God and paint a picture of God as a benevolent grandfather sitting on a cloud and stroking a long white beard, never being unhappy with His people or correcting them for things that they do wrong. If God were truly as they imagine Him to be, there would be no need to obey His commands or adjust your style of living to meet His demands. Paul warns us not to get a one-sided viewpoint of God. He instructs us to see both the goodness and the severity of God. He does love us, and He is benevolent; but He is also righteous, holy, and just. God judges our iniquity and chastens us for our sin. Our Heavenly Father takes a balanced approach to His children. He loves us and cares for us, but He also demands obedience and expects us to live righteously. The more we study the Bible, the more accurate our understanding of God becomes. The more completely we comprehend His nature, the closer we can come to pleasing Him with our lives.

Morning: Psalms 81-83

Evening: Romans 11:19-36

About This Site

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105

If you were to find yourself walking down a path in the dark of night with only an old-fashioned lantern to light the way, you wouldn’t be able to see very far ahead. You would be able to see just enough of the pathway to know which direction to take your next step and enough of the ground to choose the best place for your feet. When it comes to our daily lives, God’s Word is a lot like that lantern. It will not show us the whole path at once, but it is exactly what we need to help us decide how to take the next step.

The Bible is our source of spiritual light, and if we consistently seek God’s direction as we read from its pages, we will always have enough light for our next step along the pathway of life. It is then that we are, in the words of an old gospel song, “stepping in the light.”

The goal of this devotional guide is to encourage you to spend time in the Word of God each day. Reading the passages listed at the bottom of the page will take you all the way through the Bible in one year. The devotional thought for each day is taken from a text within that day’s reading, so even that small daily portion of reading will take you on a journey through God’s Word. It is my prayer that this guide would help you to walk closer to the Lord and that you will find yourself taking each step in the light of His Word.