Experiencing God's Presence #295

I am confident I will see the LORD’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living.

Psalm 27:13

We have a pesky habit of expecting that anything truly good and lasting from the Lord will be given to us only in heaven, when the Kingdom has come in its fullness. In other words, we get the good stuff only after we die. Meanwhile, everything on earth is a heavy burden and a cross to bear.

Scripture is clear that this world is broken and won’t be completely renewed until Jesus comes again. But it is also clear that God’s promises are good in this age as well as the next. We can experience Him now, we can receive answers to prayer, we can enjoy the redemption of past mistakes and difficult situations, and we can taste of His gifts and goodness. He is a present God in present circumstances. He means for us to experience abundance in the land of the living.

God tells us about heaven so we’ll look forward to it, and there’s nothing wrong with envisioning its perfections when life gets difficult. But never let the promise of heaven distract you from the promises of today. No matter how complicated or heavy life becomes, God is able to deal with it. His Presence is available. He can turn any situation around in a moment. He may do that today, or He may take some time to accomplish His thorough work. Either way, He wants us to hold on to hope—to keep our focus on who He is in spite of what we see right now. He wants us to know that we can and will enjoy His goodness in the land of the living.

Father, I know everything will be perfect one day—that I’ll see You face-to-face and experience all the abundance and completeness I can handle. But I also believe Your goodness and Your promises apply to this age, on this earth, in this lifetime. Please help me keep my hopes focused on You.

From the book