Psalm 27:13

My hubby and I went to a bookstore called Monergism to check it out on Tuesday.  Mike can go into a bookstore to simply look.  Amazing!  Me, on the other hand, think of browsing without being able to buy as somewhat like going to Disneyland without being able to go on any of the rides.  And as anyone who knows us might expect, Mike left with no books and I left with five "deeply discounted" ones.  I jumped right into one by Paul David Tripp titled A SHELTER IN THE TIME OF STORM: MEDITATIONS ON GOD AND TROUBLE, and want to share a piece of it with you.  I hope you enjoy this snippet that I intend to chew on all day.

My one clarifying thought is that I wholeheartedly believe the LORD graciously reveals Himself in His word and we are not free to remake Him according to our imaginations...theology and principles and worldview do matter in the journey of getting to know Him as He really is.  So when I chew on this poem with its beautiful emphasis on the LORD, I'm not aligning myself with the "no creed but Christ" crew that forsakes creed for a Christ of their imagination...I want God as He reveals Himself to be in His holy word....He is and He is Who He is and He is good.

"I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!" - Psalm 27:13

"I have one place of confidence,

one place of rest

and peace

and hope,

I have one place of surety,

where courage

can be found

and strength

waits for the taking.

I have one place of wisdom

where foolishness wanes

and truth grants freedom.

Alone I am not confident,

no pride in strength

or knowledge

or character.

I know who I am,

the duplicity of my heart,

the weakness of resolve,

the covert disloyalty

that makes me susceptible

to temptation's hook.

I have one place of confidence;

it isn't a theology

a book

a set of principles

a well-researched observation

a worldview.

No, my confidence is in YOU.

You are my hope because

You are Good.

I rest in the goodness of Your

sovereignty,

in the goodness of Your

power,

in the goodness of Your

wisdom,

in the goodness of Your

patience,

in the goodness of Your

mercy,

in the goodness of Your

holiness,

in the goodness of Your

grace.

I have learned

and am learning

that the physical delights

of the created world

were not designed to be

the source

and hope

of my confidence.

No, all of those things

in their temporary elegance

were meant to be

signposts

that point me to the

eternal

never-failing

always available

never-changing

always holy

grace-infused

goodness that can only be found

in You.

I have learned

and I am learning

that confident living

always rests its foundation

on You.

I a m confident

because of this solitary thing,

You are

and You are good."