December 4, You Done Good

Today’s reading: Psalm 16-20

“The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I am not guilty of turning from my God. All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees” - Psalm 18:20-22.

At first, David’s claim in these verses seems a bit boastful, for David declared his own righteousness to be sound and without flaw. Yet, it was a true assessment when you consider the early days of his career, when he was obedient and humble. In fact, the title of this psalm says this: “He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.” Paul gave an interesting admonition in his letter to the Romans when he wrote, “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you” (Romans 12:3). Paul’s warning was not to think of yourself at all, but to think with appropriate, non-exaggerated judgment. Then Paul went on to speak of the fact that each member of the body has spiritual gifts, including you. You have probably chronicled your faults, but what are your strengths? What are your spiritual gifts that, when you employ them, there are good results with God’s help? Where have your spiritual disciplines been what they should be? Where has God rewarded you for your faithfulness? Where have “you done good” in the Lord?