A liberal God

I have always marveled at King David's absolute trust in God's love and his repeated faithfulness to turn to God when he was in a place of trial or trouble. David is attributed the "compliment" in Scripture of being a man after God's own heart. I daresay that there is no higher "compliment" or "attribute of acclaim" that carries such importance as that one! David sums up his trust for God in this one statement of truth - God delivers...he makes good. These two key understandings on David's part are what hold him together in tough times - times of trouble and trial. He has come to experience the generosity of a God that gives out of a heart without "strings attached". David is aware that God has both a "readiness" to his giving and a "liberality" in that giving.

God delivers generous love, he makes good on his word. (Psalm 57:3)

He is ready to give - even before the words are spoken from our lips that acknowledge the need we have. God stands read to meet the need, even though it can take a while for us to muster up the 'nerve' to make the need known. David often recounted the various aspects of God's care for his life. There had been "hurricane" experiences - enemies galore, manipulating relationships, untrustworthy alliances, and treacherous treks across regions he would have rather left unexplored. In each circumstance, he has experienced the generous "readiness" of God to rescue, promote, heal, and provide - regardless of David's need, he was there each and every time.

God is very liberal in his giving - there is no "half-way" with God. We see proof that he goes all the way in his love - even to the sacrifice of his own Son. We don't always understand that kind of liberality in love - it is foreign to most of us. We are the "I will love you, but with strings attached" kind of people - you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours is our mode of loving. God is just the opposite in his love - his is a love that says, "You sin, I'll redeem". You turn your back, I'll still be there. You fail, I'll rescue.

David stood in a place of trust - aware of the goodness of his Redeemer. He stood in a place of awe - amazed at the consistency of the great I AM. He relishes the place of safety - knowing that God's banner of love covered his life at every turn. Two things about God stood out to David repeatedly as he reflects them in his writing - he generously loves, and and always makes good on his word. If we want to have a heart after God's - then we'd do well to learn these things, too. Just sayin!

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