“How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.” (Psalm 36:7,8)
This particular verse popped out at me tonight as I sit here. I am SO THANKFUL for the goodness of God!
I was told a few years ago that if anything ever happened to my marriage that I would be living under the bridge – homeless and destitute. This came from one who was supposed to love me and support me as a Christian. Honestly, that fear held me in bondage for a long, long time. Of course, Satan made sure it got replayed time and time again daily just to drive its roots deep into my soul. Sadly, it echoed the same message I received from authority figures throughout my life – beginning in school, the military, in different careers I have had, etc. That fear became a lifeline to a mindset I still haven’t completely broken yet.
Satan knows our weak points. Just as God has a plan for our lives, so does Satan. In our regenerate state (before true salvation) we listen to his plans and, often unknowingly, cooperate with him. If we knew it was him we probably (hopefully) wouldn’t go along so easily. He shows us shortcuts and fast tracks to the ideas he has planted in our minds. Ideas like being popular, famous, rich, handsome or beautiful, , successful, etc. All of these appeal to our human side, our flesh. Oftentimes we pursue them all the way to the end and it’s too late. We die in our sinfulness and selfishness. In that moment, Satan has won another soul and dragged it into the pit of fire and brimstone that was designed for only him and his angels.
Many of us realized the game before it was over. I regret to say it took fifty-plus years for me to get my head on straight and run to Jesus completely. Sure, I still struggle with areas of my life, but they no longer rule me. They no longer define me. They no longer chart my course. Hallelujah!
For those of us who have given our lives to Christ, one of the most important things we can do is give Him glory and honor. Be grateful for His goodness in our lives. Realize – really realize and acknowledge – that every good and perfect thing we have is from our Father in heaven. I started last year to journal every day. Just a simple one or two-line entry about something for which I was grateful. Notice something of beauty in my life, acknowledge some blessing I received that day, just anything to say “Thank you” to God. Granted, it wasn’t necessarily important for me to write it down. It wasn’t like God was going to ask to see my journal. But in the simple act of writing that down, it caused me to be aware throughout my day – to look for those “extra” blessings and to express myself to Him. Such a simple act (and it only takes a few minutes), yet oh how impactful that has been to me!
God has been good to me. Even through the dark years, through the trying times, through the stresses and losses I have suffered. God has been there all the time. Now that (most of) those times are past, His love and mercy are ever-sweeter than before. I have learned to put my trust (my faith, my hopes, my dreams, my life) under the shadow of His protective wings. God has made me fat with His richness and has provided SO MUCH MORE than I could have ever imagined! He truly is a good, good Father. Yes, I get spanked every so often or put in time out, but that is because He loves me and wants me to consider my ways. I now appreciate those times and pray they get fewer and fewer in number. I want to please Him. I want to experience His favor without limits. I want to know His love in a way I never have. I want to hear Him say “Well done, good and faithful servant” even while I’m still here on earth. As we pray at church every week in the Lord’s Model Prayer, “...Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” So may it be with me. And so may it be with you, my friend.
Be blessed.
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