“God pours into our lives … He doesn’t dribble it.”

With shining eyes, my neighbor made that announcement one morning at our ladies prayer group we are both a part of. After years of believing God was harsh and stingy, she had changed her mind. Now she was experiencing what the Bible had been speaking all along. She shared verses that were encouraging her.

“For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.” Isaiah 44:3 (ESV)

Since our group meets specifically to pray for our adult children, that verse was particularly encouraging to all of us!

“… and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5 (ESV)

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace.” Zechariah 12:10a (ESV)

No dribbling. More like gushing.

And when I thought back through the Bible, I couldn’t see any dribbling or stinginess either—physically or spiritually.

Adam and Eve: a lush garden home in a breathtaking world; Abraham: blessings and descendants as the star-filled sky; Joseph: slavery and prison to second in command next to Pharaoh; Israelites: a land and a life flowing with milk and honey; David: lowly shepherd to powerful king; Solomon: wisdom and worldly goods beyond measure; Jesus Christ: gave up His life for us.

Nothing stingy about that.

I could also see God’s bountiful goodness and protection in my own life. Judging from my family background, I should have a string of husbands by now and a kid from each one. And I should either spend all my time in a bar or own one. Or be in prison or dead from a drug overdose.

Yet, here I sit at the computer on this gorgeous afternoon, with one loving family and the opportunity to do what I love most. Write. Has it all been perfect? Absolutely not. But like the Velveteen Rabbit, it’s been real. And getting through real together and not giving up or loving any less, can rival even the most pristine fairytale.

Grace was literally poured out to me every day by a patient and loving God, even as I stumbled around in life as a Bible believing Christian (yes, you heard that correctly) gushing the most unattractive pride, uncontrollable temper and the desperate need to control others. I was well on my way to becoming the next screaming shrew of the family, a “tradition” our females seemed bent on passing on. So the fact that I even still have a family, is a miracle all by itself. But a precious one? That is straight-up God’s goodness. He was faithful even when I wasn’t. And He did it just because He can.

All the pain and poverty and madness in the world, can’t erase or compare or compete with all the goodness He wants to pour out on us every day—lavishly.

If we don’t get in our own way.

Yes, we may experience horrendous physical circumstances in our lives, just as the persecuted believers did in Hebrews 11. They weren’t excluded from the affects of living in (and contributing to) a sinful world. And neither are we. But we are also told in Romans 12:21, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (ESV)

I submit that focusing on God’s spiritual goodness to us, first and foremost, despite hard physical circumstances, is the foundation for overcoming evil with good. Refusing to let the world obscure the view of all His goodness and instead, doing everything in our power to really see Him and what He is doing. Climbing a tree if we have to! (Luke 19:1-4) Jumping up and down in the crowded, and often crushing, arena of life, determined to see and experience His grand performance of goodness and glory for ourselves.

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight.” Ephesians 1:7-8 (ESV)

Lavished. I don’t think you can get more generous than that.

When we look out of the wrong end of the binoculars, God is a small, stingy, punitive god. But out of the right end, God takes on His rightful size and character. He lives to give. Dribbling is a strategic deception we fall for.

God’s Word graciously dispels the myth.

My friend and neighbor was done being fooled. She said she was going to focus on God’s goodness this year. She was going to watch for it in Scripture and notice it in life. And true to God’s goodness, she’ll both witness and participate in it more and more every day because of that choice. I just hope she has all her pots ready! (2 Kings 4:1-7)

And that is the good word for today. 🖤