There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:6-8 ESV
Heavenly Father, as this Scripture affirms, nothing has to change for us to have hearts filled with joy, peace, and thankfulness—neither people nor circumstances, the weather or our finances. We don’t love you because you make our “grain and wine abound.” You’ve never had to buy our affection with creature comforts (Job 1:9-11); for your name is Abba, Father, not Sugar, Daddy.
We love because you first loved us, supremely demonstrating your love by the gift of Jesus. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection have secured our relationship with you, today and forever. While we enjoy every creature comfort you have given us, (and are grateful), we love you because of the love you lavished on us in Jesus.
Though many in our world ask, “Where is your God now? How can you say God is good? Where was your God when….? How could your God possibly…? Why doesn’t your God…?” Yet, Lord, we will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make us dwell in safety. Some things we will only understand in eternity; but to day we do understand the gospel of your free and full, irresistible and irrepressible grace.
Indeed, there’s no safer place—in life or in death, than to be in Christ. Because you’ve hidden our lives in Jesus, not a hair can fall from our heads, not a breath can be taken from our lungs, not a beat can be missed by our heart apart from your sovereign hand and loving heart. And should we exit this world in the next hour, we will forever proclaim, “Our God has done all things well.” So every Amen, we pray, with great gratitude in Jesus’ most worthy name.
