Day 168
1 Kings 18:1‐46; Acts 11:1‐30; Psalm 135:1‐21; Proverbs 17:12‐13
God Is Good
While Psalm 134 is a call to praise the Lord, Psalm 135 provides motives for praise. We are all servants of the Lord, and we are all ministers of the house of the Lord; therefore, this psalm provides us all with a motive for praise.
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good. Do you really believe that God is good? In the same way that God chose Israel, God has chosen the Church in Christ. Paul says in Ephesians 1:3-4: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight” (NIV). He was not obligated to have mercy on us; He was not obligated to have mercy on anyone.
Yet God has not only been patient and merciful to all mankind, He has specifically chosen His Church to receive His grace and mercy. He has chosen the Church “to be his treasured possession” (v.4 NIV). He has blessed us “with every spiritual blessing.” He has chosen us to be the recipients of His heavenly goodness. “Sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant” (v.3 NIV).
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you have been so good to me. You have blessed me with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly realms. I praise you for your goodness, knowing that it is only because of your good pleasure and choice that I am the recipient of your blessings.
The Rev. Charlie Holt