All—this is as inclusive as it gets

 The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. Psalm 145:9

Have you ever been to a gathering and felt that only a few people got touched, or worse, that everyone else was blessed and you were left stone cold? When others saw angels you saw the odd shapes of the people in front of you. When others felt snowflakes fall from the rafters in 100 degree heat, you thought the people in the bleachers were just spitting while they sang. What do you do with your expectations; how do you ensure you stay in a place of hope? Psalm 145 is the antidote to the “everyone else except me” blues. “The Lord is good to all.” This is God’s heart. His default setting is love and inclusiveness. His scope is set to All.  

If you are still thinking “all except me” then read these verses and count the number of ALLs.

All you have made will praise you, O Lord; your saints will extol you. They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

Before you go to a church gathering, a conference, the office or a party, praise God that you are part of his All. Change the “all except me” refrain that plays in your head to “all, especially me.” God personifies the “all of life” while satan deals in exceptions, isolation, fragmentation and doubt… “did God really say”? Identify the source of the thought patterns in your head, and nip the bad ones in the bud. 

The Message states verse 17 this way: “the trademark on all his works is love.”

Reflections 

• Is your default view of life “all” or “all except me”? How does this color your view of God and your expectations from him?
  
  
• What can you do to have your thinking renewed to be more “all” oriented?