Goodness of God

...not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 

One of God's faithful missionaries, Allen Gardiner, experienced many physical difficulties and hardships throughout his service to the Savior. Despite his troubles, he said, "While God gives me strength, failure will not daunt me." In 1851, at the age of 57, he died of disease and starvation while serving on Picton Island at the southern tip of South America. When his body was found, his diary lay nearby. It bore the record of hunger, thirst, wounds, and loneliness. The last entry in his little book showed the struggle of his shaking hand as he tried to write legibly. It read, "I am overwhelmed with a sense of the goodness of God." [Allen Gardiner]

Surely we can identify with Mr. Gardiner that God is good. We've even made the statement, “God is good,” more than once ourselves. We read in Exodus 34:6 where Moses proclaimed that the Lord was abounding in goodness and truth which tells us that His goodness is abundant even for us today. The psalmist lets us know that His goodness is great as well. Oh how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You...(Psalm 31:19a) The psalmist also writes that God's goodness is enduring, satisfying and universal. Why do you boast in evil, O might man? The goodness of God endures continually (Psa. 52:1). Blessed is the man whom You choose, and cause to approach You, that he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house (Psa. 65:4). The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works (Psa. 145:9). So God's goodness is described as being abundant, great, enduring, satisfying and universal.

We see God's goodness manifested in several things too. Take for instance material and spiritual blessings. Matthew 5:45 is a prime example of His material blessings. “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” And how about His willingness to forgive sins? For You, Lord are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You (Psa. 86:5).

Maybe you can relate to God's goodness through this story. Often I have heard people say, "How good God is! We prayed that it would not rain for our church picnic, and look at the lovely weather!'" Yes, God is good when He sends good weather. But God was also good when He allowed my sister, Betsie, to starve to death before my eyes in a German concentration camp. I remember one occasion when I was very discouraged there. Everything around us was dark, and there was darkness in my heart. I remember telling Betsie that I thought God had forgotten us. "No, Corrie," said Betsie, "He has not forgotten us. Remember His Word: 'For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him.'" Corrie concludes, "There is an ocean of God's love available--there is plenty for everyone. May God grant you never to doubt that victorious love--whatever the circumstances." [Corrie Ten Boom]

If we found ourselves in Corrie and Betsie's situation, would we have the same attitude as Betsie about God's goodness? If one truly knows and loves God, then and only then will they realize God's goodness no matter what their circumstances are in life. Amen? We need to come to grips that God is still in control and He wants nothing but good for His creation. It is and has always been man that has messed up His plans. 

 

Can you be counted on today to start looking for God's goodness? If so, can you also be counted on to help others find it too? Just think how much better off the world will be if we all have Betsie's attitude in life! God's goodness does abound and I'm sure we have already witnessed it today. Keep looking for it and see how your life will be changed for the better and how every day will have a silver lining, not a rain cloud. This is what happened in the life of Ezra. Let's see how!