August 25: How Good He is!
Scripture
How kind the Lord is! How good he is!
So merciful, this God of ours!
The Lord protects those of childlike faith;
I was facing death, and he saved me.
Let my soul be at rest again,
for the Lord has been good to me.
He has saved me from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling.
And so I walk in the Lord’s presence
as I live here on earth!
Psalm 116:5–9 (NLT)
Here we find the psalmist looking back over his life and reflecting on the goodness of God. He had walked through a dark valley where death felt close, but in his desperation he cried out to the Lord. God heard his prayer, rescued him, and lifted him up. Out of that experience, he comes to a settled conclusion: The Lord is kind, the Lord is good, the Lord is merciful.
What strikes me is who the psalmist says God protects, those of childlike faith. Not the strong, not the impressive, not the self-sufficient. God rescues those who come with nothing but trust. It's when we stop trying to save ourselves and instead lean wholly on Him that we discover His power and His mercy in the most personal way.
"Any faith in Him, however small, is better than any belief about Him, however great."¹
—George MacDonald, Unspoken Sermons
MacDonald names exactly what the psalmist discovered. It was never about having the right theology figured out, it was about trusting the Lord enough to cry out to Him. The psalmist can now tell his soul to rest, because the Lord has been good to him. His tears have been wiped away, and his stumbling feet have found solid ground. That kind of deliverance leaves a permanent mark. The only fitting response is a life lived in the presence of God, a daily walk with the One who saves.
Have you experienced the Lord's kindness in your own story? Has He met you in a moment of deep need and pulled you through? The psalmist reminds us that God is not far off. He's the God who is near. He hears our prayers, rescues us, and renews our souls. And like the psalmist, we too should be able to say: "The Lord has been good to me." So let's walk in the Lord's presence all the days of our lives, never forgetting that the Lord is good!
Reflection
- When has God met you in a moment of desperation and shown you His kindness and mercy?
- What would it look like for you to live with more childlike faith, trusting Him without reservation?
- In what specific way can you walk more consciously in the Lord's presence this week?
Prayer
Thank God for His kindness, goodness, and mercy. Remember the times He has delivered you and let those memories restore your soul and give you peace. Ask Him to give you childlike trust and help you walk closely with Him every day of your life.
Footnote:
¹ George MacDonald, Unspoken Sermons Series I, II, and III (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2012), 212.
