The Goodness of the Lord

Don’t you love it when God shows up and does something totally unexpected? What a great reminder that He is alive, and He loves us!

This week’s blog, The Goodness of the Lord, is posted on Lift Up Your Day. Check out their site for more encouragement.

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“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the LORD.” (Psalm 27:13-14 NAS)

 

God is in Control

Last month, I posted a blog called When It’s Not About You. In it, I mentioned a situation that was frustrating my husband Robby and me. A large pine tree had fallen from the property behind us, across the corner of our yard, coming to rest in the tree limbs above the house of our next-door neighbor, Lynn. At first, we were upset about being in the middle of a contentious situation, but then God shifted our concern to Lynn, a senior citizen.

God showed us that His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. (See Isaiah 55:9.) He wasn’t worried about our sense of right and wrong, or even about our finances—not because He’s distant and callous but because He’s in control of those things. His concern in this situation was for Lynn’s welfare, and He was giving us the opportunity to help her, to be useful for the Kingdom.

Robby and I were so convicted! We immediately set a date to have the tree removed. Unfortunately, the earliest date available was still weeks away. We had just stepped out in obedience and faith, and now we were playing the waiting game! Every morning, we opened the blinds and saw that awful dead tree, spread across Lynn’s roof, and we prayed that it wouldn’t fall before it could be removed safely.

 

God is Still Good

Then, something amazing happened. When I was off from work one afternoon, I heard a knock at the door. It was a man from a different tree company asking if they could access our property. It turned out that the owner of the tree finally decided to have it removed—at his expense! I sat outside and watched as they cut the tree down and gently lowered it to the ground. It was so brittle that some of the limbs cracked and fell, but there was no damage to Lynn’s house!

I called our family to tell them the good news. Not only was the situation resolved, and Lynn was safe, but we didn’t have to pay the $1500 to remove the tree ourselves! Everyone was as amazed as we were. What if I hadn’t been home that day…what if the tree company we had hired had come out earlier…how had the tree withstood the recent hurricane…why did the owner finally agree to pay for the tree’s removal….? This was definitely a “God situation.”

Robby and I were obedient to the Lord when we made the appointment to have the tree removed. We had agreed to trust in God and do the right thing, no matter the cost. Now, I see that God was setting us up—not as a test but as a reminder of His goodness and provision. What a reminder that God really does loves us, and He is willing and able to take care of our needs! (See Luke 12:28-31.)

 

Trust in the Lord

Whatever your situation is today, I encourage you to trust in the Lord. (See Proverbs 3:5.) His Word can still calm the storm; He is still our shield and protector; and He is a saving defense to His people. (See Matthew 8:27 and Psalm 27:7-8.)

Not every circumstance will be resolved the way you want, or how you plan it. But if you are obedient and make God your first priority, and if you wait upon the Lord, you will see His goodness in your daily life. (See Psalm 27:13-14.)

 

Have you seen the goodness of the Lord in your life lately? Share it with us in the comments below.