It Tastes So Good

Dear Friends,

Have you ever had one of those days where you thought that if you had known what was going to happen that day, you would have just stayed in bed and pulled the covers over your head? I have. Actually, over the past few weeks I’ve had several of those days, as it seems like there have been an unusual amount of challenges and struggles all happening at the same time. The result is that there have been lots of days when I have felt like staying in bed would have been the better choice.

That’s why I was thankful this morning when my Bible reading took me to Psalm 34:8. If you’re not familiar with that passage, here’s what it says: “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh the joys of those who trust in Him!” This passage is a familiar verse for a lot of us who were raised in the church, and today when I read it I was reminded of the fact that God's will for us is good. Of course, it might not seem like it at times, but that's usually because God doesn't give us a detailed road map of where we're heading. Instead, God reveals His plans for us in bits and pieces. And so, while He sees the big picture, we just see little sections at a time. That can make it challenging to always believe and trust that His will for us is good.

We're not alone in our struggle to trust God's will - it's something followers of God have had to wrestle with since the beginning of time. If you had been Joseph's father, you probably would have prayed for the well-being of your son. So when Joseph disappeared and you were left thinking he was dead, it probably would have caused you to wonder what God was doing, and whether or not His will for you and Joseph was good. In the same way, if you had been Moses' mother, you would have faced similar concerns when you had to put your baby in a basket and send him down the river in order to save his life.

When they were going through those situations, Joseph’s dad and Moses’ mom had no idea what God was doing. Joseph’s father didn't know his son would end up in a position of power that enabled him to save his family from famine. And Moses' mother didn't know that her son would grow up to be the leader who brought Israel out of slavery in Egypt. All these parents knew was that they had to put one foot in front of the other, and keep moving forward. And in doing so, it allowed God time to unfold His good and perfect plan for them, and for their children.

And what was true in their lives is true for for us as well. When we look at the will of God while it’s “in progress” in our lives, we might not always be able to make sense of it. That’s when we need to fall back on what we do know - God has a plan for us, He will walk with us through any challenges that come our way, and He will finish what He has begun for His glory and for our good.

So today let's ask God to help us take our eyes off His unfolding plan, and instead, focus on the fact that He has a plan for us that is good. And then let's ask Him to use that truth to build the faith and trust in Him we need to move forward in obedience, trusting our present and our future to Him.

Amen?

Daniel