God’s goodness

Heading West…..


This was the view on the way up the coast on Easter afternoon, overcast and rainy but with a profusion of bright yellow and purple wildflowers along each side of the green hills beside the freeway, announcing a resurrection of their own; then steady and promising off to the West it appeared, the grand Pacific….beckoning me with its steady peace and rest. It always takes my breath away each time I get the first magic glimpse. How can someone not gaze at those waves, hear that thundering surf and not know that God is behind it all?

I am so grateful for this time to get away, to reflect on what the Lord has done for us, for me. To think of how He loves us to create all this beauty for us to enjoy. It was a very different Easter on the road, but it was memorable. Listening to praise music driving down Highway 1 by the sea….Thank you God, for a generosity that I can only partially glimpse, partially guess…I am in awe again when I see your Word come to life in Your creation…..

“Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’?” Job 38:8-11

Security


You can’t even turn on the news anymore without hearing something about how terrible the economy is. They would have us believe that we are on the brink of financial ruin, and people are queueing up to jump off the tallest building they can find. While the situation is troubling, it is not hopeless. I refuse to be swept up in the fear mongering frenzy. I challenge anyone to get into any restaurant in my area on a Friday or Saturday night without a minimum of a 45 minute wait! Yes people are cutting back, being more careful; but we are not standing in bread lines yet.

No doubt about it, the world we live in right now is a scary place. And I admit I have been pulled in somewhat to the unease that seems to permeate everything around us. This is a weakness for me, and I sometimes wonder whether I have placed more value on the “safety and security” that my job provides than God intends. This is a temptation for all of us in very large companies. They tend to make us feel like we can’t do without them. I have to fight this constantly.

BUT: The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe. (Proverbs 18:10)This is where REAL safety lies.

AND: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9) This is where I find true security.

But has God really called us to a “safe, secure life?” The early Christians had no such thing. They had danger lurking around every corner, unrest, possible prison, homelessness, in some cases illness, torture, not to mention ridicule. I struggle with this….I love safety and security, I love my home and that the payment is low, I love that I know exactly how much money will show up in my account every two weeks, and that I can pay my bills. But I also know where it comes from and who it is that really sustains me. With grateful heart I thank Him for His blessings, and that I can bless others, knowing that someday I may need that “hand up.”

Ultimately, I rest in this verse: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Philippians 4:12