God is Good!

Psalms 33:5 He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.

In light of the recent attacks of ISIS, one would begin questioning the goodness of the Lord.  I have heard people wonder, “If God is good, why would He allow such suffering?”  I am sure you have had a similar thought before in your own life. 

To say that God is good, we would need to understand what the word good means.  It would seem to be relevant here on earth because what some people think is good, others do not.  For example, up on the Rio Negro in northern Brazil, people love to eat turtles.  More specifically, people love eating turtle eggs.  When it is turtle egg season, people go nuts and though it is against the law to gather the eggs, much less eat them, people take the risk because to them it is “good” eating.  Down here in the southern region of Brazil, people don’t eat turtle, but they do like cow tails.  It is a big deal when it is cool to have a get together and make cow tail stew.  See what I mean?  Good is a relevant word depending on the person.  So what do I mean when I say, God is good?

I could make the case that He is good because His mercy endures forever like it says in Psalms 118:

Psalms 118:1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.

I could say He is good because He does good:

Psalms 145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

I could also say that He is good to those who wait on Him:

Lamentations 3:25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

Maybe He is considered good because He is a strong hold:

Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

Each of the verses I just quoted uses the exact same word for GOOD (טוֹב towb). 

Now, I have eaten Turtle and I have eaten cow tail, I have tasted both and have my opinion of both.  I would choose turnip greens, cornbread and fried chicken over either of these two Brazilian meals any day because I am a southern gal and to me, Southern food is “good”.  It is all in the taste.

Psalms 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.  

I believe that when I was 14 and I felt God tugging at my heart because He was drawing me to Him, I had my very first personal taste of the goodness of God.  Over the past 31 years I have gone back and sampled that goodness of God.  The very fact that I am living and breathing today is testimony of His goodness.  I should have been dead long ago.  But God is good, because His mercy endures forever.

Have you tasted the goodness of God?  It is the earth’s greatest natural resource.  Maybe life and sin have left you with a bitter taste in your mouth towards all things concerning God.  Maybe someone has disappointed you so badly that you have tucked your heart away so that no one can ever hurt you again.  But if you will but have the faith to trust in God, you will experience His goodness as He heals those hurts and bitter spots.  He said BLESSED is the man that trusteth in Him.  Blessed means happy.

Do you want to be happy?  Really happy?  Taste and see that the LORD IS GOOD!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Until next time, Lord willing,

Sheri