It is GOOD, to be near God.

There are times when it seems like the Devil is winning.

These are the times when it seems like wicked things are taking over the world. There appears to be no justice. The wicked seem healthy and strong. They are becoming prideful with their actions and enjoy to speak with malice. They are content with covering themselves in acts of violence. 

On this earth - it often can appear that their is no penalty for the wicked.

But this is the view until we look to Christ. This is where it ends. The wicked can try to rule all they want on earth. But our God is sovereign over it all. Ultimately the wicked will perish. "Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things." (Philippians 3:19) Therefore, they will not prosper forever.

They will not get to dwell with the Most High God. 

Psalm 73: 23 

"Yet I am always with you; 

you hold me by my right hand."

I can see wickedness all around me. I will never like it. I will never be okay with seeing children suffer, families broken, or lives ruined as the result of sin. But I can trust in the Most High God that he will never fail me. He will remain and he will hold my hand even as my heart hurts. He will continue to love.

Psalm 73: 25-26

"Whom have I in heaven but you?

And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but My God

is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

There is nothing in heaven besides the Lord. There is nothing good on earth besides the Lord. Our strength and the whole course of our being is because of him. There is nothing on this earth that should ever mean more then that. We can fail daily at trying to live for this world, chances are we will fail daily. But the God of the Most High is holding our hand and continues to love us even as we continue to sin. All I can do is desire him more. 

"But as for me, it is GOOD to be near God." Psalm 73:28

You are Good.

God really loves us.

If you aren't sure or feel like you are questioning God's provision here my story:

At some point upon arrival in New Orleans, La  - I was bit by something that grew into a very large infection on my thigh. I kept ignoring it and fighting the consistent pain I was feeling. I was project leading my first project with Adventures in Missions and I felt like anything that hindered my ability to serve - was a direct attack of Satan. So I ignored it. I became increasingly stubborn even though I was in pain. I ignored the help of others or advice of friends to see a doctor.

For three days - I tried to put on a happy face and continue on.

Finally, I fell on my knees crying before the Lord. I broke down. I recognized this pain was more then I could take. I didn't like it but I had to accept I had no control over it. I had to accept that I needed help. I needed to get help which meant going to the doctor even if, I was terrified of it.

So Monday night while everyone else in my group was off worshiping and having our first day of ministry debrief I went to Urgent Care. I was frustrated at my own inability to fix myself and my lack of control in the situation.

I cashed in $140 dollars to pay to just see the doctor as a walk in. This wasn't anything by any means that I was okay with. It was a huge sum of money to me and I knew it would just increase as the procedure began.

The doctor proceeded to tell me my leg was severely infected and that he would have to slice it open. To this day - I don't think I have ever experience as much pain as I felt in that moment. I was visibly broken, hyperventilating and crying for the next hour for the amount of pain I was in. 

When I went to leave, still hurting but fighting. I received a piece of paper with my prescription that was a receipt of my credit card transaction that said: "Authorization Voided of $140.00." I was really confused. We began to question the doctor about what we needed to pay. He simply said, "You are Good. Just keep on doing what you are doing. You are Good."

I became overwhelmed with tears and gratitude to how the Lord provided for me and reminded me of his love in the hardest of circumstances. I was in pain and shaken - but he was present. He was constant and he provided through the kindness of a stranger. He reminded me that he cares for me. He loves me. He really loves me and even as I break down and it hurts, he provides and makes all things work together for his good.

I was visibly broken in front of a whole team of 110 high schoolers from Houston, Texas. They were able to see me weak and vulnerable - I was visibly broken. But in that weakness, Christ powers rested on me and his presence stayed with me and he made me strong.

"That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:10

The beauty in this - is that the story isn't over. The story continues and the reminder of his presence overwhelms me. I have this testimony of his grace and faithfulness that reminds me, even when I am weak I am strong in him. I have done nothing to deserve his love. I am not worthy of it. I have done nothing to be able to earn his forgiveness or mercy. But he looks at me in the middle of court room - when I have debts to pay and says the same thing as the doctor did in New Orleans, "You are good." And let's me off because of his great love and relentless mercy and I am left forever changed. 

Don't you know - that is how he loves us. You are good. You are forgiven. Your debt has been paid in full. Live in it and walk. 

Did you know that you were Rescued?

Here's some encouragement for the day:

Psalm 18 states several different facts about the Lord and his presence & power such as:
- he is present in our trials
- he is present in our distress
- he is with us when we face our adversaries

But if it wasn't enough that he is present he is not only present but he is mighty and powerful. The mere presence of his light causes the clouds to move:

v. 12 "Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, 

with hailstones and bolts of lighting."

So we have this great & mighty God that is not only extremely powerful but is WITH us. He is with us - and he rescues us:

v. 16 "He reached down from on high and took hold on me, 

he drew me out of deep waters."

So at the point of our first rescue, maybe at the point when we became a Christian - God saw us as broken and reached down to save us. But I believe that this wasn't a one time process but this was a repeated thing that happens even now. I think God continually sees us drowning or standing in deep water and because he's present and loving --- he continues to save us.

But the beauty in all of this is not only that he does it but that he delights in doing it :

v. 19b "He rescued me because he delighted in me."

That's it. There was nothing we ever did - to be able to earn or receive his rescue. It was by nothing that we did that we labeled as good or he saw as good. It was simply because he delighted in us. He saw us shaking, broken, in our sin and delighted in who we were even in that moment.

We have a mighty and powerful God that is worthy of our admiration, worship and sacrifice. We have a mighty God who makes mountains tremble and clouds move. But at the same time, he is personal and he is loving. And with that, he delights in knowing us. He delights in being able to rescue us. I can't think of anything more worthy to praise.