When I was growing up, I played soccer for many years. (I have lots of sunburns to prove it!) Most of the time, I played midfield, which means I was running around a lot on the field, passing and kicking and participating in all the action. But on occasion, I was asked by my coach to play goalkeeper because our regular goalie was either out of the game that day or was playing on the field. And I have to admit: I absolutely, without a doubt, despised playing goalkeeper.
As a goalie, I had to mostly stay put within this big, white box on the field, away from all the action. And when the action finally came to me in the form of a fast soccer ball aimed directly at me, it never ended well. I felt ill-equipped to catch the ball, stop the ball, or honestly do anything productive with the ball. I felt like an absolute failure as a goalie. During those soccer games, I didn’t have a lot to look forward to, except for one thing.
Whenever I had to play goalkeeper, my dad would leave the crowd of parents on the sidelines and would come stand at the corner of the field where I was playing. For the entirety of the game, he would coach me, cheer me on, and encourage me to keep going, even though he and I both knew that I was not good for the position nor did I enjoy it.
It’s silly to think about it now. But when I was a kid, the fear of playing goalkeeper was a huge deal! Even more significant, though, was my dad’s faithfulness to show up every single time and stand with me when I was struggling. I never had to play alone. I never had to wonder if I was going to be loved and cared for when I inevitably left the soccer game with some less-than-stellar moments. My dad made sure I knew that.
God’s Goodness and Faithfulness
When I read David’s words in Psalm 23:6 about God pursuing him with goodness and faithfulness all of his days, I get excited. I feel empowered. I rest assured. Why? I’ve already experienced a glimpse of God’s goodness and faithfulness through the love of my own earthly father. I’ve experienced my dad’s pursuit of me and goodness toward me when I had to endure difficult moments as a kid. And I remember how assured I felt of my dad’s love for me during those soccer games. How much more, then, does my Heavenly Father demonstrate His capacity to pursue me with goodness and faithfulness as I walk through even more treacherous terrain throughout my life?
God has demonstrated throughout Scripture that He is a present, pursuing God. He ultimately shows this pursuit through the person of Jesus—the Word of God who was fully God and “took up residence among us” (John 1:1, 14). So it makes sense when David claims that he will surely dwell in God’s house for the rest of his days. God has made it evident that he moves toward his people; he seeks to dwell with them in a loving, life-giving relationship (Revelation 21:3).
God’s Remaining Presence
Ironically, when David writes about God’s pursuit of him in Psalm 23:6, it’s a good thing. In a variety of other psalms, David tends to find himself being pursued by his enemies. In the psalm immediately before, Psalm 22, David describes a vulnerable and dangerous place where wild dogs surround him, a gang of evil men crowds around him, and a lion pins his hands and feet.
David is accustomed to evil pursuing him. Psalm 23:6 reminds us that where evil is present and coming after us, God is present all the more, relentlessly pursuing us with His goodness and faithfulness. With this truth in mind, we can confidently walk through the darkest valleys of life, fearing no danger, because we know the Lord our Shepherd is with us.
Maybe you’re not reluctantly playing goalkeeper today, dodging oncoming soccer balls like I did as a child. But I imagine there’s a chance that you’ve felt chased and pinned down by something else—a challenging relationship, a diagnosis, or any ongoing struggle—and you’ve wondered how to walk through the valley safely. Psalm 23 serves as a reminder that God’s pursuit of you is far more powerful. As you begin to walk confidently in His goodness and faithfulness, you’ll be able to offer that same fruit of the Spirit to a hurting world around you.
