In the three weeks between Memorial Day and June 8th we celebrated a college graduation, an important medical school milestone, the birth of a baby, and a wedding.
The busy days surrounding this convergence of major life events featured a vehicle clogged driveway, re-inhabited bedrooms, and a large and lively crowd around the dining room table. I loved every minute of it.
It was a time to celebrate, and we did so with joy and gratitude.
In one (rare) quite moment during the week before the wedding I read Psalm 128 as the next stop on my circuit through the Psalms, and I realized that I was living the promise of that Psalm.
“The children around your table
as fresh and promising as young olive shoots.
Stand in awe of God’s Yes.
Oh, how he blesses the one who fears God!”*
Yes, this is the abundant life that I promise!
Yes, these are the blessings I desire to shower upon my people!
Yes, enjoy the life and the family that I have given you!
Overwhelming gratitude and humility are my heart’s responses to God’s Yes. I don’t deserve his favor, his Yes. But, a relationship with God is never really about what we deserve. Instead, it is based on what He graciously offers to us out of His generous heart.
I stand in awe of God’s Yes!
It’s wonderful to rejoice in God’s resounding Yes, but what about when God is silent or we hear only the thud of a No? I relate to that too, for there are some areas of my life in which I have yet to experience His Yes.
Life’s Yes moments remind me to trust God through the No moments, for they are evidence of his Yes-inclined heart. As I praise and thank God for His Yes, I realize that I must also accept His No or his Not now.
God’s ultimate Yes is in Jesus Christ. While I don’t presume to understand what God does, maybe He says No in some areas of our lives so that we will seek a better Yes in Jesus. When we find all of our satisfaction and joy in Him we have eternal and constant cause for celebration.
“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” 2 Corinthians 1:20
How have you experienced God’s Yes?
*Psalm 128:3b-4 from The Message
Connecting Dots...to God 
YES! His ‘yes’ is worth much more than we can say ‘yes’ to in our lives. His ‘yes’ is such a comfort and encouragement of His constant presence in our lives as well. And my Yes from Him happened twice in the last week and how I relish in knowing His Yes was because He loves me so much even when I’m not all that He wants me to be. How wonderful that we have such a loving God to ‘yes’ us no matter — because of His unconditional Love! Blessings to all for their (and your) great gifts this past month!
Right now I’m having a hard time finding the “yes.” Mostly hearing “no.” Sigh.
I know, Lu, and I also know how difficult that can be. I join you and many others in my prayer for a big Yes for you and Al. And I’ll add a prayer for many, many daily Yes moments as you seek Him. Love and prayer, Judy
Congratulations on all these wonderful events. I love the idea of letting the Yes moments strengthen us through the No or Not Now times. Knowing God wants to bless us and has our best at heart at all times is a good thing to be reminded of.
Thank you, Jeannie. Life is rarely all Yes or all No, is it? I guess we need some of both. Glad you stopped by!
What a busy few weeks of blessings for you and your family, Judy! It’s such a delight to hear about your Yes moments. As so many others do, I keep a “blessing journal,” and after reading your post, I’m going to include God’s Yes moments in my reflections. Every day is filled with His perfect and gracious gifts. We just need to pause long enough to see . . . open our eyes, our ears, our hearts. Thank you for sharing, my friend.
Judy, I’m so pleased that you had such a wonderful time and that everything went well. God is good, and does not withhold His blessings. Best wishes to you and your wonderful family!
Sara Lamb
Thanks Sara!
I used to tell my kids that inside every ‘no’ were dozens of ‘yesses”. ‘No’ can sound like a thud – but if our hearts are trained to listen, we can hear God’s yesses to us: for his life, love, forgiveness and abundance. (Which may sound to the untrained ear like ‘no’ at first!)
Celebrating so many wonderful moments of joy for you and your family!
Thanks Michelle. You’re a wise mom to teach your children that helpful truth at young ages. It’s taken me years to train my heart to listen for God’s Yes, even in a No. I’m getting it – slowly but surely!
Thank you for sharing some of His Yeses with us! Congratulations all around! I have experienced God’s ‘yes’ by Him continuing to keep and cover us and make a way for us where there doesn’t seem to be a way. :). God bless you and your beautiful family, Judy!
Thanks Debbie! I like your thought about God’s continuing, faithful and daily Yes as he covers and leads us each day. In that sense every day is a new Yes! Yes, here is another day for you to live and breath. Yes, I will provide everything you need today. Yes, I love you and I am with you. And, sometimes, Yes, here is a challenge that we will meet together today. Yes, I will teach you something through this. Thanks for reminding me of God’s daily Yes! Have a Yes kind of a day!
Oh Judy, your reply was like a post and expressed so wonderfully what I meant but couldn’t quite say! Thank you doubly now!