THANKFUL

Chatting with Jesus

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Lord, there hasn’t been a time when I wasn’t good. Growing up, I was good at lying to my parents, lying to my teachers. I worked at being good telling whoppers, making me appear as someone I was not. I was a good cheater. I’d do anything good or bad to win. I was good at manipulating the naive to get what I wanted. Yes, I was good alright—good at being bad.

Reading the psalmist’s story, he could have been the poster child of being good at being bad. As king, he had the power to do as he pleased, and for a period, he did. But as the psalmist found, as well as those who forsake goodness to embrace the bad have found too, that wandering path leads to heartaches, disappointments, and not to mention, opposition from you. What a sad way to live. You opened his spiritual eyes.

The psalmist repented, corrected the wrongs he could, and made amends to those he harmed. His famous Psalm 101 details his determination to live a changed life. Later, while reflecting on his faith journey, he recorded his breakthrough.

“You are good, and you do what is good. Teach me your demands” (Psalm 119:68).

The psalmist stated without doubt you are good. There is no darkness, no evil, no “badness” in you, nor ever will be. Lord, you heard his humble prayer and honored his plea: “Lord, teach me to be good as you are good.” I desire to be good at being good.

Might my prayer be the same as the psalmist. Teach me how to be “good as you are good.” Help me show your love and kindness and be your Light in this dark world. Amen, Jesus.