There Is Hope and Goodness in God's Name
For what you have done I will always praise you
in the presence of your faithful people.
And I will hope in your name,
for your name is good.
(Psalm 52: 9)
As I wish you a Happy and Blessed New Year 2021, I also thank the Lord for helping us to step into this year and to witness His mighty wonders and ways. Surely the Lord's hands are around us, and He is leading us in a miraculous and safe way. The grace and the unfailing love of Christ Jesus our Lord continue to sustain us. The warmth of God's hands around us is always felt, and we are going to see more and more of the wonders that the presence of the Holy Spirit can do in our lives. He is our Lord our God who walks with us, talks with us, enables us, strengthens us and keeps us moving further.
I am able to see what this new year could mean for many people living in many different situations and conditions. 2020 has been a year of great challenges and struggles, and surely we are not assured of anything to point in our calendars this year too. But the only thing that we can be assured throughout the year is God's providence and His guidance.
In one of his maskils (a contemplative poem) to the director of music (Psalm 52), David writes in such an assured manner about the hope and goodness he finds in the Lord in the midst of disappointments and struggles. The introductions to this psalm in different writings inform us that this maskil was written by David when he learned that Doeg the Edomite had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.” David was in the midst of fears, doubts, unfaithful accompaniments, dangers of death, and in spite of all these circumstances, he continues to rest assured in the hope and goodness he finds in the Lord.
As we approach this new year with news of fears, questions of insecurity and struggles of living a free life (physically, mentally, socially and economically), I want to encourage you to look to God in the midst of all these struggles and difficulties. I am sure King David had seen worse conditions both in the battles and in the governance of Israel, and he is still able to seek God with the assurance. This verse we have chosen for today is a very suitable one to contemplate on as we move from the old 2020 to the new 2021. On one side, let us praise God in the presence of His faithful people for what He has done in the past year, and on the other, let us find hope in His name for His name is good. God has been and continues to be a God of hope and goodness. Let us continue to seek Him.
I pray today that as we continue to have hope in the Lord's name and seek His goodness, may the blessings and providence of God our Father be upon us, may the love and grace that we find in Christ Jesus sustain us, and may the everlasting presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit help us to move further with the assurance.
May God bless you.
Yours in Christ,
"Goodness Of God" ~ Bethel Music
