Goodness

Written by Pastor Claire Douglas, Youth & Young Adult Ministries

Read by Denise Utter

 

“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?  When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall.  Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident…I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”  --Psalm 27:1-3, 13-14

 

In January of 2020, a friend of mine sent me a star word for the year.  When I opened the envelope to discover the word “goodness” written inside, I must admit I laughed.  2019 had been a rough year within the church when it was sometimes difficult for me see the goodness around me.  I figured God must have a sense of humor if God intended me to see the good in 2020.  If only I had known just how right, I was.

 

Finding the goodness of God has lately become a challenge for me.  Goodness has not always been easy to see through COVID-19 closures, senseless hate crimes, the outbreak of war.  Yet even in my darkest moments of doubt, I find myself returning to this passage from Psalm 27, “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”  It reminds me no matter what pain or suffering, or anger or hatred surrounds us, we will still see God’s goodness now within our lives.

 

Lent is a season when we re-center ourselves in our relationships with Christ.  We ask ourselves what are the things that we need to let die to experience new birth?  What are the ways that we are being challenged to grow closer to God?  I don’t know what ways you are being challenged by God this Lenten season, but I do know we will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

 

Holy God of Love, help us to see your goodness throughout this Lenten season.  In your name we pray, Amen.