“”Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwelling the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:6 NIV)
We sang it on Sunday, about the goodness of God running after us, and I had to sit down in my seat to consider it. Bible open to this verse, I began look back over my four full decades and see fingerprints of goodness on every page of my story. His goodness chases us down until He catches us completely, and carries us into His presence entirely. Then He goes after our kids. His goodness towards us spills out on them, enticing them into the same sort of love relationship.
For some reason I was thinking of my mom that morning, how she had fallen all the way into the goodness of God.
“For those who submitted to Jesus, physical death is but ultimate spiritual death. It ushers us into the unmitigated presence of Jesus. Physical death is our ticket home.” (Live Dead Joy, Dick Brogden)
My mother is perhaps more alive than ever in the unmitigated presence of Jesus. And the goodness that pursued her all her days, now pursues me. I live in the overflow of her journey to Jesus.
It makes me think about my kids. Honestly, I think about them almost all the time lately. The challenges of the upcoming generation are immense. We are careening toward a godless culture that they will have to live in. I have had so many concerns about their relationship with God and His Word; will it be enough? Are they strong enough? As a parent, have I done enough? We’ve spent their childhood pointing them in the direction of heaven, but now there’s a threshold of faith that can only be crossed by personal belief. We can show them the stoop, but ultimately they alone can press through the doorway.
This song on Sunday stirred up my hope. Just as God’s goodness chased after my mother and chased after me, I can trust Him to chase my children, too. They will live in the overflow of His love for me, and then their children will live in the overflow of His love for them.
“Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalm 107:8 KJV)
Lord, we sing of Your goodness, overwhelmed by the persistence of Your pursuit. We are glad to be chased by You. We look forward to falling into Your arms forever. We entrust our children to Your same, tender and tenacious care. The world is changing, yet You are the same forever. Amen.