Thankful, Day Ninety-Six

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

God is good all the time! Our circumstances may not be, we may not be. But God is definitely and always good. He is good to me, He is good for me, He is good inside me, He is good all around me. My God is good good good, and like the Psalmist, I say, "Taste and see that the Lord is good."

Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." He also said, "Eat my flesh, and drink my blood." He wasn't talking about cannibalism, but rather partaking in His goodness. He said, "I am the bread of life." Eat of him, and you'll never go hungry. He's also the water of life; drink of him, and you'll never be thirsty. Out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water!

There's this video clip from youtube that I love to post. I watch it often, and even show it at church from time to time. It's a little girl with the most serious look on her face shouting like a preacher, "God is faithful, and He's still good! My my my!" And it's true. If we learn early that the Lord is infinitely and personally good, then we can take anything, because no matter what comes our way, God is with us and He is good. He works all things together for good to them that love Him and are called according to His purpose. He is a good God who gives good gifts to His children, and every good and perfect gift are from Him.

Or like the preacher of old who said as they lashed him to the stake upon which he would burn: "Eighty-six years I've served Him, and He's never done me anything but good. I won't repent, and I won't recant!"

Thank you Lord for your goodness to me in blessing me with a godly mother, and a godly heritage. Thirty-five years ago (yesterday) you saved my wretch of a father and raised him out of darkness to walk in marvelous light. You saved my mother, and you saved me. They brought me up in the way I should go, and I will not depart from it.

Thank you Lord for your goodness to me in blessing me with those things that I have need of, and even those things I have want of. I can see your hand at work, and can't wait to see what happens next as I continue to seek you.

Thank you Lord for your goodness to me in blessing me with your love, in filling my heart with love, and turning it where you want it to go. I only thought I had known love before; but now I know it for real, and I rejoice in its goodness.