Thing
Psa 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
:12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.
How strong and how loud is the call of the good things? To smell the new leather and fresh paint, to enjoy the ride and its destination, to satisfy the palette and drink of the best year, to laugh with the elite and shoulder rub with the significant, to play with the ‘real’ toys and be entertained by the most talented – all have an advertising campaign beckoning us to come and seek after them, to let them define our occupation and neighborhood. Many have trusted the welfare of their families and the condition of their very souls to the promise of the ‘good’ things and the assurance that in their acquisition is the reward of ‘life’.
I’ve heard people say in support of their pursuits, “I’ve been without and I’ve had the good things. I’m here to tell you that it’s better to have than to do without.” This is such an incredibly true statement, and yet there is, according to what God says, an incredible deception taking place in the heart that puts its trust and hope in the good feeling that the good thing brings, even equating its gratification to God Himself. As the mansions get bigger and the car collections more extravagant, the greater will be support for the surety of the ‘thing’ over surety of the Savior, and the loss of piled up stuff will seem to equal loss of spiritual status.
There is a blessing that is so very natural and consequential in the favor and blessing of the Lord. He doesn’t want to withhold any good thing. He, in fact, is the one who gives true grace and glory- the substance of real life, without the sorrow or the loss. The thing that is truly good will come from him and the security of our financial and spiritual welfare is established in Him, but more than just a free-for-all stuff Giver, God is interested in value and goodness that we might not initially consider to be so. Goodness was actually coming to Job in his time of loss as He became gratified and satisfied by God Himself in a way that had really been withheld by the presence of all his earthly riches. The good ‘things’ that God provides are things that don’t have expiration dates and lifespan. As we begin to walk in His righteousness there will be fruit in our life that He will not withhold from being borne in us, but to trust in the Tree itself would be so much better than trusting in its fruit that will fall and rot on the ground.
There is a savory taste of goodness that will come from a walk that pleases the Lord today, but while its sweetness may represent its Giver, it will never take the place of the good ‘thing’ that comes from His presence alone. True blessing and true life will come from the trust that is given to the promise of His life over the promise of any other. When all those other things have either been broken, lost, or left behind there will be a treasure maintained in the heart of the one who has trusted and been satisfied in Jesus alone.
Talk about a good ‘thing’- there’s nothing even close to how good one moment with Him will be. I’m glad that it will not be withheld.
