“Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.” James 1:16-18
“Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men! You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Blessed be the Lord, for He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!” Psalms 31:19-21
“The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” Psalms 34:7-8
As I was praying through my prayer list—for both those who need salvation and those who have abandoned God—I asked God to guide my prayers. I was led to pray:
“Lord, reveal Yourself as the source of all the good things they love.”
I paused as I realized the importance of this prayer—not just for those I was praying for—but also for myself! As I began to meditate on this, I thought about all the good things in my life—the things I love, what gives me security, and my strongest sense of belonging. As it began to dawn on me that every last thing and person I love most is a marvelous gift from God, a desire to know God exploded inside me. I prayed:
“Lord, I really DO want to know YOU better! I want to know more about the One who has given me the experience of unparalleled love, unsurpassed peace, and satisfaction which cannot be wrecked by tempestuous times. I want to know more about the One who created and sustains everything and is even fully responsible for my ability to type this prayer. Yes, I want to know the God who has shed His everlasting mercy and grace on this woman who has failed Him so abysmally. I want to know this God who has worked evil against itself and allowed this broken person to shine for His glory and be part of His eternal work!”
My friend, every good thing we enjoy is a product of the presence of God. For those who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, we have the ability to enjoy His goodness in the depths of our born-again souls. For those who have not accepted the gift of salvation—and are still spiritually dead—they do not! Hell is eternal separation from the presence of God and His goodness. When we, as Christians, live in the acute awareness of the magnificent presence of God and His goodness—we cast His light into the darkness. We give hope to the lost. I want to be that light of God’s goodness—don’t you?
