God of Good things

Growing up in Jamaica, sometimes if someone was in a very good mood, someone was likely to make a comment such as, “fowl (chicken) a merry hawk deh (is) near.” This means that in times of great excitement and laughter, that trouble may be lurking around the corner. While this may be true, if people decide to go to excessive and reckless means to seek pleasure, I could not understand why someone being very happy had to generate such a negative response. Does Solomon not say that, “a merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bone” (Proverbs 17:22).

How many of these old time sayings and ways of thinking, cause us to think that it may not be possible to truly have joy and peace? I know that in this life we will have trouble, but I also know that Solomon spoke of times and seasons. This means that I experience times of lack and sadness then this must give way to joy, happiness and abundance. Certainly trials and tests cannot be our continual portion.

Jesus once said to his disciples, ‘Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete’ (John 16:24). It was also Jesus who caused Simon to catch such an abundance of fish, that it caused his net to break. (Luke 5)

God is not a dreary old grump who is waiting for us to mess up, so that he can stretch out his rod and zap us. Nor is he like a punitive parent, who does not want us to have fun and who wants us to work all of our lives and never enjoy good things. In fact God will not withhold any good thing from them who walk in righteousness (Psalm 84:11).

God owns every house on earth, all the money in the banks, all the cars that exist, all the gold and silver in the world. Everything that we need is in Christ Jesus. God wants us to have joy and peace and to have all our needs met. Continue to trust him and rest in the assurance that he wants us to have a good life full of good things. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬).

A.P.-Y.