Sunday, April 1, 2012

God's Abundant Goodness

This post from Ray Ortlund, Jr. is in the context of expectations on a wedding day, but it applies much more widely too....

"Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you."  Psalm 31:19

"This bold promise belongs to you through the finished work of Christ on the cross.  You have every right to expect God to be abundantly good to you, your whole life long, for Jesus’ sake.

"Oh, how abundant is your goodness.  The goodness of God is not small.  The goodness of God is abundant.  Your life together will prove it.  God will be faithful to show his massive goodness to you, and not because you deserve it but because of the merit of Jesus.  Believe it.  Look for it.  Enjoy it.  Give him thanks for it.

"Which you have stored up.  God has a storehouse of goodness you’re going to need.  He won’t give it to you all at once.  He will give it out moment by moment, day by day.  But God never has to wonder where he’s going to come up with his next good idea.  We’re sometimes tempted to think God is about to run out of good will toward us.  We sometimes feel we’re on the edge of a cliff about to fall into an abyss.  But the Bible says God will always have more goodness stored up for you.

"For those who fear you.  This is your part.  What then does it mean to fear God?  The Bible says, when Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac, that he feared God (Genesis 22:12).  That’s what it means – putting God first, even before one another.  C. S. Lewis said, 'When I have learned to love God better than my earthly dearest, I shall love my earthly dearest better than I do now.  Insofar as I learn to love my earthly dearest at the expense of God and instead of God, I shall be moving towards the state in which I shall not love my earthly dearest at all.  When first things are put first, second things are not suppressed but increased.'  God’s goodness is so abundant that, fearing him first and foremost, you will always have more love for one another."

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