May 22: The Giver of Good Things

The eyes of all look expectantly to You, And You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all His ways, Gracious in all His works. Psalm 145:15-17

In any trial of faith, it is time to stop! Meditate on Yahweh’s unconditional love. His testimonies are bountiful. They are found in His glorious word and the beauties of nature: sights, sounds, fragrances…all testify of His generosity and creative power. From the beginning, we are taught that humans were created in His image. Holy. Joyful. Pure. He gave everything and more for our enjoyment, enrichment, and happiness.

“…the fair earth, as it came from the Creator’s hand, bore no blight of decay or shadow of the curse. It is transgression of God’s law—the law of love—that has brought woe and death. Yet even amid the suffering that results from sin, God’s love is revealed. It is written that God cursed the ground for man’s sake (Genesis 3:17). The thorn and the thistle—the difficulties and trials that make his life one of toil and care—were appointed for his good as a part of the training needful in God’s plan for his uplifting from the ruin and degradation that sin has wrought. The world, though fallen, is not all sorrow and misery. In nature itself are messages of hope and comfort. There are flowers upon the thistles, and the thorns are covered with roses.” STEPS TO CHRIST by Ellen G. White

Yahweh knows exactly what is happening in my life and why. But too often I fail to realize my own waywardness. I must be shown! How tenderly He reaches down, even—and especially—at my lowest points. As Jesus walked the earth, He never suppressed the truth when He spoke, yet it was always given in love. He spent more time healing than preaching. And even when issuing rebukes, He was never unnecessarily severe. Severity came only when absolutely needed. Every syllable that fell from His lips was uttered in singleness of purpose: the eternal salvation of man!

It is through disobedience that we have rendered ourselves subject to the archenemy of Christ. This enemy has wrought destruction and despair, and then follows up by planting the idea that the fault lies with God. This enemy accuses God to us; he also leads us into sin and then accuses us before God. His singleness of purpose is to drive a wedge between God and man, then proceeding to fracture human relationships in the wake of the initial destruction.

An enemy has done this. (Matthew 13:28) The Lord is clear that He is in no way responsible for evil. Yet, He takes full responsibility for providing a way of escape from the havoc and devastation that Satan wreaks in the human heart. The ministry of Jesus was and is about reclaiming that which His enemy has taken by deception and cruel force. The Lord is re-establishing His kingdom in human hearts ahead of His return to gather His beautiful bride.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Yahweh is a Giver of only good things. It is because He so loved that He gave!

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 1 John 3:1