While I wrote about clouds a few weeks ago, I can’t help but think about sunshine as its partner. I ran across a reading the other day by Jill Briscoe that said: “The bible promises God’s presence all of our days.  We can’t have a world without clouds but we can have a heart filled with sunshine knowing God is with us.” 

I love being outdoors and especially on a bright and sunny day.  OK, I know its hot and the heat is a little more that a warm sunshining day… but the sun is what God gives us to light up our days, so wouldn’t it make sense that HIS SON has been given to us to light up our hearts?

We have choices each day regarding attitudes in relation to the situations and circumstances that God has allowed in our lives.  On the outside it can be gloomy, overcast, or blue skies, but it is what we have chosen to have shining on the inside of our hearts that matters.  

Are we able to stay focused on the blessings and the reality that God is always present; acting in his faithful ways and through all types of weather? Or are we allowing the outside circumstances to dominate and dictate our feelings and emotions?  The truth that we have come to know through God’s promises of love, power, grace, and forgiveness is a forever sunshine given to us for peace and joy in spite of the worldly distractions that we are bombarded with each day.  

David, in the psalms wrote: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (Psalm 23:6)

His life was feathered with challenges and in spite of his confrontations, mess ups, infidelity, David’s heart was filled with a faithful love for the Lord.  And his joy remained evident by the praises and intimate friendship he maintained with God throughout his life.

 Briscoe shared the following observation about the Psalm listed:

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (Psalm 23:6)

“Surely,” not “maybe”! That's what the text says. But how can that be?

The same man who wrote those words, David, was a man who experienced God’s goodness and mercy all his days and nights. Whether the sun was shining, or it was midnight in his soul, David was able to say, “Surely goodness and mercy have followed me.”

It’s so much easier for us to say “most of the days” or “some of the days.” Yet the text promises His presence all of our days. This is not a promise that all our days will be good or merciful, but rather an assurance that the God of mercy will follow us through the good and the bad days, the rich and the poor days, the sick and the well days – all the days of our life.

When we believe this promise, we bring His “presence” into our problems. It is His “grand company” in all our nights that wrings from our lips the certain cry – “Surely!” His sweet friendship lights up good days and makes them even better. So, we do not have a “maybe” or a “perhaps” or a “hopefully” – but a “surely” that is rooted in the proven promises of God!

I love her explanation and encouragement that God’s promises are rooted and proven by his word and his actions.  May your hearts be filled with sonshine and your thoughts be filled with praise and thanksgiving to God. For he is always present, available and filled with grace and an overseer to all who have cast their faith and belief in Him.  Blessed are we who know him, depend on him, and need him. For his LOVE is shining within each of us.

Praise God wherever you are or whatever situation he has allowed you to be in...for his Glory will shine through!

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