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Goodness of God ~ Bethel Music
The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand... ~ Psalm 121:5 AMPC
Growing up, my grandparents had an in-ground pool, which, of course, had to be cleaned. The skimmer was useful for catching leaves on top of the pool. The vacuum, however, was best for getting everything that was at the bottom, especially in the deep end and harder-to-reach places. I confess that when I recently read Psalm 121, I skimmed right over verses 3-8 and spent more time on the familiar verses. But God had more that He wanted me to explore, so He took me back and helped me to draw out the deeper riches, especially in verse 5.
Throughout the Bible, many verses refer to the “right side,” which I’ve always heard is the “holy side.” While studying Psalm 121:5, I learned that Bible commentators also believe that it’s the “working side.” As a mom, I could relate to that, because when my girls were both little, I often held one on my left, while trying to do something else with my right hand.
As I continued to ponder the idea of the working side, Holy Spirit gave me a picture of Jesus sitting on God’s right side. Jesus’ last words on the Cross were, “It is finished.” Then, after ascending to heaven, He sat down at Father God’s right hand, demonstrating that the work of salvation is complete. I’m sure you know you don’t have to work to earn your salvation. Hopefully, you also realize that you don’t have to work to earn His love. It’s already freely yours. Yes, we are called to do good works, but as Graham Cooke says, “Work comes after love, not before. Love comes first, and the works come out of that love.”
Everyone is working hard these days, being pulled and stretched. Sometimes God allows the stretching to show off His glory, and sometimes to prepare you for the next step on the journey. Regardless of the reason, He’s always with you, loving you, encouraging you, and giving you the wisdom and skills needed when you turn to Him. As you go throughout your day, stop and thank Jesus for standing on your working side and for completing the work, so that you only have to walk in it.
©Heather Potts 2021
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