Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:6 NIV
In most translations, this well-known verse begins the same way, "Surely." It is a word that means we have confidence and certainty in something. In this ever-changing world, there are few things we may be sure about. But we, like David, can have certainty and confidence in the Lord. God's goodness and love follow us all the days of our life. Even before we exit the womb, God enfolds us with his grace, and his blessings continue to our dying breath.
All benefit from these blessings. God "makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." (Mt. 5:25) We have a choice, though, where will we dwell? Like David, we can live in the house of the Lord, acknowledging him as our Savior or not. In accepting Jesus, we are awakened to the blessings we receive daily. We are sure in God's promise that "he will never leave you nor forsake you" (De. 31:6). In our times of trouble, we can remain confident he is with us, giving us strength when we are weak and providing encouragement when we are down.
David is sure he will dwell in the Lord's house, not just in his temporal home but forever. We have that same promise through Jesus Christ. God's goodness and love continue beyond the grave, thanks to the ultimate sacrifice he paid on the cross for our sins. A Christian funeral is both a time of mourning for family and friends and a time of rejoicing for the one going to their forever home.
God, we thank you for the sureness of your goodness, love, and promise. Accepting Jesus, may we dwell in your house and become more and more like Christ. With confidence and certainty, help us share your promise with others that they will know you. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Tim

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