You’ll get this at CrossLife Church. Someone says, “God is good.” And you’ll see comments, or hear someone nearby, or read replies: “All the time.”
I love this. For three reasons. First, it is a call and response, which is effective faith communication (see my CrossWords blog “Call and Response”).
Secondly, describing God as “good” is fitting, faith-building and fellowship-sharing.
Some argue that we can do much better than referring to God as good. Pizza is good. But wouldn’t you say that God is a bit more top shelf than pizza? How about exalted or everlasting? omnipotent or immanent? trustworthy? transcendent? triune?
Any of those descriptions of God are entirely accurate, right and true. I could list a few dozen more descriptions of God, also accurate, right and true. Including “good.”
The Bible calls God good in Psalm 25:8, 119:68 and 145:9, praising him for his mercy and compassion, and for doing what is good. At the dedication of Solomon’s temple in all its splendor, God is worshipped as good (2 Chronicles 7:3). Nahum 1:7 calls God good, because he is “a refuge in times of trouble.”
David worshipped with these words: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Cry out, ‘Save us, God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, and glory in your praise.’ Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Then all the people said ‘Amen’ and ‘Praise the Lord’” (1 Chronicles 16:34-36).
Do you see the rich faith in those words? When we say that God is good, it’s different than saying that pizza is good. Because God isn’t pizza. God loves you. God is your friend forever. God saves you. God is holy. God is everlasting.
Do you see how the goodness of God unifies and brings together people of faith? He is not just my Savior and your Savior but “our Savior.” He gathers us. He delivers us from common threats and enemies. We join to give him thanks. “All the people” say “Amen and Praise the Lord!”
PRAYER: Dear God, there are so many things about you that are good. I fix my thoughts today on you and your goodness. Enrich my faith. Engage me with others of faith who believe you are good, too. Amen.
FURTHER MEDITATION: Look up the psalm references in today’s CrossWords. How is “good” described in those verses? Send someone a message that says “God is good” and prompt them to respond “all the time.” Share this meditation with them.