Psalm 84:11  For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭84:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://psalm.bible/psalm-84-11

All sunshine and sovereign is GOD,
Generous in gifts and glory.
He doesn’t scrimp with his traveling companions.
It’s smooth sailing all the way with GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies.
(The Message)

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It is cloudy and windy today. It was cloudy and windy yesterday. These are two of our least favorite weather conditions. Sunshine and daffodils rate among the favorites. Bluebonnets and Texas Paintbrushes are even better. 

Cloudiness of a different sort blew in Thursday morning when the mean doctor cut a hole in my nose and said there was more to come related to that sample. “Too much sun,” they say. “Not enough sunscreen,” they declare. 

But I like the sun. I really do. I am from Texas. I give preference to too much heat over too much cold any old day. 

The psalm writer tells us God provides Sun and Shade. After dinner Friday evening, we drove down a street where the live oaks form a bridge over the road. The density of the limbs and leaves provides temperate shadows throughout the day. They are equally lovely morning, noon, and early evening. 

When Israel left Egypt, a cloud covered them as they walked through the wilderness by day and fire covered them by night to guide them along their journey. The psalmist may have had this in mind when he penned these words. He says, “no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.”

When we walk with God, we enjoy the loving light and warmth of his presence. He also protects us from overexposure. Ask Jacob and Moses and Joshua and Isaiah and Peter and John one day about the dangers of overexposure to God’s glory and greatness. 

Don’t miss the middle of this compound sentence. Between the two semicolons is a declaration. “The Lord bestows favor and honor.” The New American Standard Bible and the New Living Translation translate these two keywords “grace and glory.” 

The conscious awareness of God’s presence leads not only to his smile on our lives but to maximum expression of his goodness through our lives to others. 

Heavy rain is in our forecast today and tomorrow. One of the most uttered phrases in Texas history is, “Sure could use some rain.” It’s coming. Texas rain is a gift of God’s grace and glory. Even better is the truth waiting on the other side of the clearing clouds. Sunshine and wildflowers will return. For some of us, God’s gifts of grace and glory include a floppy hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen labeled 75 SPF. They make possible a sunlit stroll. Indeed, “no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.”

Our Father in heaven thinks of everything. Nothing good exists apart from his creative thoughts and words. His thoughts and words create worlds. His thoughts and words expressed through us make the world a better, more beautiful and delightful place. 

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I will walk with God to soak up and express his grace and glory.

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Our Father, I want to walk through this day in conscious awareness of your majesty and glory. I want to enjoy all of your good gifts. I want to overflow with your grace and glory so that others may taste and see that you are good. Amen.