Father's Goodness

 

As I was opening up our chicken houses this morning, I looked up and one of our cows was standing about five feet away from me, on the other side of the fence. I said her name and told her good morning, as she lifted her head and looked at me.

As I thought about our lives here, I smiled. “Who would have ever thought?” still resounds in my mind quite often as I think about my life. Growing up in a midwestern city planted within immeasurable acres of soybeans and corn, trying to find my way and figure out what to do with my life, I never imagined that I’d be here. It’s not that I ever had clear direction as to what I’d do or who I’d become, but the family that I have and how we live now was surely not in the mix of consideration.

Even after I met my wife (over 25 years ago), we were living in Atlanta and going to concerts downtown several nights a week. We were meeting people that we thought were someone and that somehow made us someone too. We were socially cool and my ego loved it. As more time passed, I went through a faze where I thought that I might pastor a church. After all, I became a youth pastor and that’s the ladder that one can climb, right?

All of the ups and downs. Horrible immaturity and occasional flashes of wisdom. How we arrive where we do is a mix of destiny and decision. Ultimately Father knows His plans for us. I would suggest that the increment that we will walk in them is up to us. We do, of course, have a say in what unfolds in our lives. Equally, He is merciful and simply doesn’t allow our due consequence to come to us, as it should. Many things I now call normal, I simply did absolutely nothing to deserve.

Should I be more mature now than I am? Yes. Should I look more like Messiah by now than I do? Also, yes. All of this in its proper place, Father’s mercy abounds. It’s been poured out like oil upon my head and it runs down and covers all of me. He is good. He is always faithful, whether I am or not. What about you, friend? I encourage you to take a deep look into the list of favor and kindness that Yahweh has brought to you, personally. Lift your hands and open your mouth and remind Him that you still see it. And, we will need it again… and again. He is good and His ways are perfect. Selah.