Be Of Good Courage

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD! 

Psalm 27:13-14 

Waiting is wearisome. At times while we are waiting we are inclined to lose heart. Often that for which we are waiting seems distant, unlikely, and perhaps impossible.  David understood this. He had personal experience with waiting. It was a long time between what God promised him and the fulfillment of those promises. In between there were many adversities. Some of the circumstances he encountered were so dire, it appeared they might end his life before the promises could reach fulfillment. What David experienced over time was that God would indeed be as good as His word. His goodness and mercy did follow David. He did fulfill all His promises. Thus David could say with the authority of personal experience, ‘Wait on the LORD; be of good courage.’ This is his practical advice to all of us who also wait on Jehovah. How does God strengthen our heart? He does so by showing us Christ. He shows us the One in Whom we can believe. He is the One Who does good to us in the land of the living. We walk this pilgrim pathway behind Him, the Good Shepherd. We have reason to be of good courage. Christ will strengthen our heart by showing Himself faithful to us again and again. We can take David’s advice to heart and see what God will do.    

Our Glorious, Living God, 
we rejoice that You encourage us when we are most downcast. 
We praise You that everything that You have promised, 
You will fulfill.  

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning