WHEN GOOD IS ENOUGH

            There are those who go through life accustomed to having the best, buying only the best. We encourage our children to do their best. Truth be told, sometimes we want to be the best. We feel the sting of not being able to afford the best- of not being able to give our children the best, only good. But is it possible that good can be, and is, good enough?

            The NIV hosts 43 verses using the term “good things.”  I just read through all 43 and it blew my “superlatives-only” gasket. Psalm 34: 8-10 instructs me: “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. Fear the Lord, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing…those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” That is a no holds barred promise. Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. The openendedness of the verse leaves it to the reader to imagine: what good thing am I lacking? Our Father who spoke the verse into being placed no limitation on having the good things but one. The limitation is not on the number of good things. The qualifier is not on the one who seeks. The qualifier on having the good things is on the good thing for whom the seeker seeks. If we seek the Lord, and not just the things of his hand, we will, indeed, already have every good thing.

            Not too long ago we hosted a two year old overnight. It has been several years since we have had a toddler overnight and so my children spoiled her. Whatever she wanted was not too much. Watch the same movie five times?  Sure. Eat ice cream for dinner? Sure. Cookies for dessert? Absolutely. Carry her from room to room on the shoulders? Sure. Nothing was too much for her. Treats? Sure. On Sunday, when we were supposed to deliver this sugar laden child back to her father, her heart’s desire was reflected in her question as soon as she walked into church: “where’s daddy?” If her daddy had met her grizzled, scruffy, in his pajamas and with the worst morning breath-he would have been enough for this child. He needed no treat in his hand. He needed no toy in his backpack to offer her. He was enough. In fact, I think, had he not been there and we had tried to buy her calm with treats and sweets, she would have seen right through our ploy. I do believe that her question would have raised the roof: “Where’s daddy?” 

            In the midst of our hard times, painful circumstances, we whisper to Him: “You are my daddy; apart from you I have no good thing.” (Psalm 16:2). He whispers back to us, with accents sweet and clear: Child, seek me, I will withhold no good thing from you. I will satisfy your hunger with good things. I will fill your house with good things. Seek me and find the good things I will do for you according to my love and compassion. (Psalm 84:11, Psalm 104:28, Psalm 107:9, Isaiah 63:7)