WEEK 33: GOD'S YES'S AND NO'S by CHARLOTTE TRAVIS

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield;

the Lord bestows favor and honor.

No good thing does he withhold

from those who walk uprightly.”

Psalm 84:11

Today’s guest blogger is Charlotte Travis. Charlotte is President of Abide in Him, Inc. whose mission is to strengthen the body of Christ through the teaching of God’s Word. She enjoys teaching Bible Study and is the author of several verse-by-verse studies. A graduate of the University of Alabama and a former sixth-grade teacher, Charlotte is a wife and mother living in Kennesaw, Georgia. You can find the studies at www.AbideinHimInc.org or visit her blog at https://charlottetravis.wordpress.com.

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I was talking with a neighbor when her son peeked out the door to find out more information about some cookies he found in the kitchen. His mother said they were left over from an event, and that he may have two. A spiritual analogy hit me later about God’s yes’s and no’s. What if those cookies had been for an upcoming event? This loving and wise mother would have had to say, you may have none. Does she love him more or less in either scenario? Of course not! God may at times allow us to have something we ask for, and at others times He may allow us to have none. We can be sure that a yes or a no is equally loving; for our good and His glory.

Psalm 84:11 holds a special place in my heart. During a hard season, it felt like God was holding out on me. I’ve learned that we can, and must, take our hearts to Him no matter what shape they’re in. With reverence, I was able to tell Him that I felt like He was holding out on me, but that I knew His Word is true, and He never withholds what is good from His children. The truth sets us free, and it does us good to bask in it.

We are blessed to be called to the family of God through Christ. No matter how we may feel, we can know He is our bright light and protection; always providing what is good. We may be allowed two or none, but either way we can be sure that He will never withhold what is good. His every move toward those in Christ is favor and honor, that others might be drawn to Him, too.