Readings for today: Psalms 49, 84-85, 87
Recently, my wife and I were reflecting back on our life together. We’ve been married almost 26 years. Been together almost 30. We’ve raised four kids together. We’ve lived all over the country. We’ve traveled to many faraway places. Done ministry in all sorts of contexts. We’ve been rich and we’ve been poor. We’ve had good times and bad times. We’ve experienced deep intimacy and deep brokenness. But perhaps the thing that struck us most as we looked back was the extravagant goodness of God. He has given us so many gifts over the years. Gifts we did not deserve. Gifts we could never earn. And as we reflected on these gifts, we found ourselves experiencing a range of emotions. Shock. A little embarrassment. Humility. Followed by a deep and profound sense of gratitude and thankfulness.
In this is love...not that we loved God but that He loved us. (1 John 4:10) God is the most extravagant giver of all time. His mercies are new every morning. Manna appearing each and every day. He throws open the storehouses of heaven in order to care for those He loves. I love how Psalm 85 puts it, “Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land. Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky. Yes, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way.” (Psalms 85:9-13) Surely we do not deserve such divine attention! Surely we have not earned such divine blessing! Surely we are not worthy of such an honor and yet God’s love remains. He gives what is good. He causes the land to yield it’s increase. His salvation comes to those who fear Him. His glory fills the earth. God is vigilant. Always watching. Always on the lookout. He never sleeps. He never rests. He never takes a day off. He is always there for us. He is at work when there is scarcity and when there is abundance. He is at work when the outlook is good and the forecast sunny and He is at work when things are trending downward and it looks like rain.
I know it’s easy to question such goodness. We look around at the world and we see the starvation. The poverty. The disease. The death. We wonder where God is in the midst of it all. The Bible’s answer is clear and unequivocal. He is there. Right in the middle of it all. Right in the thick of things. Saving. Securing. Providing. Comforting. Rescuing people from the bondage of sin and death in this world in order to bring them home to Himself. He’s also at work in us. Those who have plenty. Those who have abundance. Those who are healthy and strong and blessed with tremendous resources. He moves on our hearts. He moves in our lives. He propels us out to the ends of the earth to be His hands and feet. What a marvelous thing it is to be invited to partner with God’s Spirit in what God is doing to save the world!
It is humbling. It is a little embarrassing. Certainly shocking that God would choose me. But I am overwhelmed by a deep and profound sense of gratefulness and thankfulness. I do not deserve this honor. I have done nothing to earn it. I am unworthy in every which way. But God is gracious. And God’s love for me remains. Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15)
Readings for tomorrow: 1 Chronicles 3-5