Psalm 84
Key Verse: “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!” (Psalm 84:11-12 ESV)
Do you ever feel like God is holding out on you? Do you ever feel like you’re getting short-changed by God, that He’s holding something back? As we look at the circumstances of our lives or the things that are happening in the world around us, we can be tempted to start to doubt the goodness of God toward us. Yet according to these verses, this is not how God operates. God is “a sun”, the One who gives life. He is also a “shield”, the One who upholds and protects us. For those who trust in Him, He “bestows favor and honor”. He pours out His grace and goodness upon them. And check out this promise: “No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.” So long as you’re walking on His path and in His ways, you can rest assured that God is ready and willing to pour out His goodness and grace upon you. Do you believe that?
If you’re still not convinced, the ultimate proof of God’s love and goodness toward us was demonstrated when He sent His only Son to die for us, even while we were still sinners. Jesus willing suffered and died for us. If He was willing to go that far for us then, do you think He’s going to hold out on us now ? Do you think He’s not going to graciously give us all the things that we need to live this life to which He has called us (Rom.8:31)? God is always good.
The key then is to trust in Him. We need to place our faith in what He has said about Himself and what He has promised to us in His Word. Even when we don’t feel like it. Even when the circumstances of our lives or the world around us seem to suggest otherwise. And we also need to ensure we are walking uprightly. We need to day by day ensure that the direction and decisions of our lives are in step with what God would have for us. This is the path of blessing that our good God has for us. May God help us in all these things.
Prayer: Father, I choose to believe today what You say in your Word about your goodness toward me. Everything you choose to do flows from your goodness. You have proven that through what you have already done for me on the Cross. In those moments when I’m tempted to doubt your goodness, I pray you would increase my faith even more. Help me to walk uprightly today. Amen.
