He Is Good!

I was recently reminded by a friend of the greatness and the goodness of God as revealed in the book of Exodus.

With the burning bush, the awesome Name of “Yahweh,” the ten plagues that revealed God’s greatness to Egypt, Israel, and every so-called Egyptian god, and then the phenomenal parting of the Red Sea – not to mention manna from heaven and water from rocks – Exodus certainly showcases God’s greatness.

But when Moses asks God to “show me Your glory,” God responds in Exodus 33:19, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you…”

Certainly God’s glory is in His greatness but he chose to emphasize His goodness as He revealed Himself to Moses.

Do you view God as good?

His goodness certainly speaks of His moral goodness, His absolute holiness. “Goodness” also speaks of God’s skill; He does what He does very well. But goodness also speaks of His benevolence; His grace; His mercy; His kindness; His immeasurable love. WOW! He actually delights in giving good things – because He is good.

He is worthy to be trusted, prayed to, served and thanked . . . for He indeed is GOOD.

Hope

The temporary nature of life has a way of forcing us to recognize life’s highest priorities. Death can jar us into the realization that relationships are more important than recreation; marriages are more important than money; integrity is more important than image; eternity is more important than entertainment.

Americans can callous ourselves to these truths, burying them in “Yeah but”s and “I’m too busy to worry about that right now”s. Even Christians can lose appreciation of the Gospel Itself, which gives us a completely different worldview than the culture’s and the only legitimate, tangible, vetted hope beyond the grave. May we have a renewed gratitude for the Gospel!

Let us not forget we have hope, confidence for life here and hereafter, that is based on “the Word of Truth, the Gospel” (Col. 1:5). This Gospel is the only basis for hope that bears credible evidence. Christ’s irrefutable Resurrection and the life-changes He makes in people who trust Him form a solid apologetic that takes the Gospel from being mere speculation, like every other belief system with proposals about the hereafter, to certain, substantiated Truth!

We do know the Truth about life, death, and priorities. This uniquely gives us joyous, triumphant, confident hope. And it’s all because of the wonderful Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord.