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 (see last week’s blog “God and Pizza”).
Finally, this kind of verbal messaging makes God a bigger part of your day, and makes it a good day. He is in everything. All. The. Time.
But this isn’t some algorithm programmed into your day by an angelic computer geek. It’s not automatic. Because God isn’t a robot. He’s a personal being. He loves you. He wants your time, your love and your attention. And he even promises that you have his first. As much as you want!
So how much of God do you want?
I think the easy answer is, “A lot of God. All of God, please, yes, I need him.” That’s a fantastic answer, and when we say it we mean it. Problem is, we’re distracted by everything else. All the time.
So we think of God much less than we’d like. We pray less than we should. We train our minds to think with God’s truth much less than we need.
Do you know how many ads the average person sees per day? In-game ads. Digital banner ads. Social media ads. Streaming ads. Email. Paid search ads. Billboards. TV. Experts say that in 2020, we’re seeing up to 10,000 ads per day. That’s over 400 per hour!
What if you prayed 400 times in one hour? What if you thought of God 10,000 times today? Would that make a difference? I believe that would make it a great day!
Now, you could carry a Bible around with you or set some reminders on a Christian app on your phone. But even more accessible is truth from God that floats on the surface of your heart and mind. Everything that comes in or goes out is filtered by that truth of God. So God is in everything.
Where do you get this filter? How does it operate continuously, even while you’re chasing a rabbit trail of digital ads when you’re supposed to be working or sleeping?
By memorizing God’s Word. “God is good” is God’s Word. And it’s super easy to memorize. If you keep this truth with you, and learn to say it all the time, it’ll make your days good. All of them. All the time.
Here is the difference between someone who claims they love God’s Word and they do—whenever they hear it which is once a week, maybe two or three times—and someone who actually loves God’s Word because it filters everything.
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do” (James 1:22-25).
Blessed. That’s another word for good. Listen to God’s Word all the time, and your days will be good all then time, because God will be in everything.
PRAYER: God, you are good all the time. Even in difficulty. Even in uncertainty. Even when I feel bad about myself. You are always good. Loving. Merciful. Almighty. Kind. I need to think about you all the time, like you are already thinking about me. Amen.
FURTHER MEDITATION: Re-read James 1:22-25 above. Describe a person who listens to the word. Describe a person who does what the word says. Send someone a message that says “God is good” and prompt them to respond “all the time.” Share this meditation with them.