“And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.” Genesis 1:31
Dear Ones:
One of the greatest arguments that the unbeliever will use to not believe in God, is to say, “If God exists, why then all of this suffering on the earth?” The problem with this argument is that such an individual is not willing to honestly look at himself in the mirror. God is not the cause of all the suffering and sorrow on the earth. Scripture tells us that at the creation, everything that He did was GOOD. That goodness was an extension of Who He truly is, in His nature, perspective, and power. Indeed, there was nothing that He did that was not good. It was only when man chose to take a different path in departing from this “Infinite, Everlasting Goodness,” that sorrow and suffering began to be known. So, in our consideration of God, let us not put the blame on Him. It was by MAN’s initiative and doing that all that is not good began manifesting itself: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, envy, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, strife, seditions, heresies, murders, drunkenness, revelings. This is what man embraced when he chose his own way, and not that of God.
If ever there was a stark revelation of the goodness of God, it was when God became flesh, and dwelt among us. Why would a perfect and glorious God step into this world of sin, sorrow, and suffering, to pay the ultimate price to save those who didn’t even want to be saved? It is because that, coupled with this issue of goodness, is the power of infinite love. These concepts are very hard for sinful man to understand, as he is so very absorbed with himself and his ways. He is blind to the “other-worldliness” of God, or as He puts it so clearly, His holiness. The word “holy” distinguishes Him from all that is created, the Creator being so very much higher than all of that which He has created. But what distinguishes Him most of all is the fact that the Son of God became sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Not only did the Father, in love, give His Son to save us, but the Son, also, offered Himself as a spotless lamb to take upon Himself the sins, sorrow, and suffering of the whole world. The immaculate, infinite goodness of God is revealed in this, that Christ came into this world to save sinners, even His enemies. What and who is man and his “goodness,” when compared with the goodness of God?
Has God changed since the Garden of Eden? Has He ceased to be good, and the “giver of every good and perfect gift?” The answer is an emphatic “NO.” Jeremiah, in giving the Lord’s words to Israel, this nation that had rejected God, and been taken into exile, wrote: “Thus saith the Lord, …’And it (Jerusalem) shall be to me name of joy, a praise, and an honor, of the earth, which shall hear all the GOOD that I do unto them.’…’I will perform that GOOD THING which I have promised.'” (Jer. 33:2,9,14) The Lord will tell Moses, “…I will make all my GOODNESS pass before thee…” (Exodus 33:19) David would write, “O taste and see that the Lord is GOOD.” (Ps. 34:8) Jesus would call the Gospel the “GOOD NEWS.” He would also say, “…how much more shall your Father which is in heaven, give GOOD things to them that ask Him?” (Matt. 7:11) He also said, “…how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?” (Luke 11:13) Herein is the goodness of God, not only that He gives continually that which is good, but He gives HIMSELF, ultimate GOODNESS, by the Spirit.
Dear Father, give us a crystal clear vision of Your goodness, not only to behold and praise Thee for it, but to live it. It is in the reception of Thy goodness, and the giving of that goodness to others, that You shall be truly honored and glorified in the hearts of men. Fill us with Thy goodness, so that we, like the Lord Jesus, go about always doing good, for Your pleasure, and the blessing of others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad