The Goodness of God

"Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun." -- Psalm 37:3-6

My husband, Marty, is a God fearing man. He loves his family and his God. He works harder than anyone I know. He has never been a "keeping up with the Jones's" kind of guy. He is content with life with one exception...

In all our time in San Antonio (13-1/2 years) there was one thing Marty consistently longed for: a backyard with some land, trees and privacy. For the past several years, I have been petitioning the Lord on his behalf. My prayer has been that the Lord would lead us to a home with a backyard that would be a sanctuary for Marty.

A few weeks ago, I read in Genesis 13:14-17, where God shows Abraham all of the land that He has chosen for him and his descendants. Afterward, God commands Abraham, "Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you." (v. 17) I wrote in the margins, "Get to know the land."

Those words came back to me, this weekend, as Marty and I started unpacking boxes in our new home. Every few hours, Marty would disappear into the backyard. I watched through the windows as he and the dog explored every inch of the property. I remember thinking, He's getting to know the land.

As I look past the unopened boxes and the move-in chaos that surrounds me, I can see the evidence of God's magnificent provision...

Through the family room patio doors I see a pool with water that sparkles in the sunlight. Looking past the pool, there is a wrought iron fence that encloses a portion of the backyard. In the middle of the fence is a gate covered in an arch of climbing roses. Beyond the gate a large span of flat lawn big enough for a game of touch football or wiffle ball beckons. And beyond that the property is edged by a dry creek and woods with lots of mature trees. Truly God is good.

In all those years of lifting up that prayer, it never occurred to me that I might have to move 250 miles for it to be answered. And perhaps it is good that I didn't know. For if I had known the sacrifice it would require of our family, I am not sure I would have been brave enough to utter the words and trust God with the results.

Father, You have blessed our family in ways big and small. Thank You for the things You let me know ahead of time and for those things You keep hidden from me until the proper time. Help me to always make my requests known to You and to trust You with the results. Your ways are always best...even when they require a sacrifice. Thank You for the blessing of this new home and Your provision for all of the details that come with making a new life in a new land. Lead the way. In Jesus' name, Amen.