BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” Psalm 118:29
ENCOURAGING WORD:
When I read a passage like the one above, it makes me think of another verse that has been a little concerning to me. Romans 3:10-12; “As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.” When we read a verse like the one in Romans 3:12, we, in our finite minds think of good as something we do that might make others happy or acceptable in the realm of kindness. But when we compare good to the standards of God, this is where we fall extremely short of Gods meaning of the word.
I believe that when the Bible uses the word good, it is referring to our ability to earn our own salvation through good works, which we know from scripture that this is not the case. Salvation can only come to those that put their complete faith in Jesus Christ. It is offered to us through the saving grace of what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross 2000 years ago. So, when it says, "the Lord is good", that is the standard in which we have to compare too. We read in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” We need to give thanks to our Lord for everything, from the first breath of fresh air in the morning to the last waking moment of the day. I believe that most of the world’s population doesn’t realize that God could cut off our air supply with a thought. The world could parish in a twinkle of an eye. Philippians 4:6-7; also tells us, “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” I believe that most of the prayers we pray focus mainly on something we want from God, we need to be thanking God for what we already have and trust in Him to meet your heart’s desire. John 10:10 tells us, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” God created you for a purpose, when you submit to that purpose, your life will be the perfect will of God. That doesn’t mean that life will be without troubles, it just means that everything in your life is working out for the good to fulfill his plan in your life. God didn’t create us to be miserable, like a lot of people think. He is not some ogre that is waiting for you to slip up so He can take you to the tool shed. He loves you and wants the best for you. The Bible tells us in Matthew 6:33; "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Once you submit your life to the Lord, the Lord will give you the desires of your heart provided they won’t harm you in any way. James 1:17; tells us, “Every good thing given, and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”
As you venture out into a new day, keep in mind that everything you have is a direct gift from God. And then you may ask, what about all the things that go wrong through the day, is that God too? That totally depends on your personal relationship with Jesus Christ. John 3:17; “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” But once again with this thought in mind, you will go through various trails throughout your walk with our Lord. Trials can be for various reasons such as purification of the soul, discipline for disobedience, or if you haven’t received Jesus Christ and you do not have His full hedge of protection around you, then you are just plain vulnerable the schemes of the devil. If you are under Gods protection then everything that happens to you is Father filtered as we read in Romans 8:28; “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
ACTION POINT:
Take time today and thank God for all that He has done for you. If you don’t know Him yet, reach out to Him in prayer and ask Him to receive you today into His family and experience the life that He had meant for you to live. Think about the person you love the most in this world, wouldn’t you do anything for them, now amplify that by millions and that is how much God loves you. It goes way beyond human understanding. “Written To the glory of God, Inspired by the Holy Spirit!” Amen!
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