God is Good

Sunday we talked about how God is good…even when we don’t understand why bad things had to happen (Sept 11 for example). We also talked about the fact that some believe that the fact that God punishes evil and rewards good means we can look at our lives or worse, the lives of others…and see God’s judgment or rewards.

Jesus showed a different paradigm…both in Luke 13 and in John 9. The world is more complex than we would like it at times, but at the same time it should be an encouragement. God’s goodness isn’t always clear in this world, but I Cor 13:12 promises that it will be clear in the next.

Moreover, John 9 and Jesus’ experience on the cross shows that sometimes, it is only in suffering that a greater good can be revealed. As we examine what we think about God, we must ask, “Is my understanding of God consistent with the God that Jesus revealed?”

God is good…all the time. Even when (and probably especially when) it doesn’t feel like it.

Soul Training Exercise (From The Good and Beautiful God):

What can we do to help us know and experience the goodness of God? There are two exercises that will help us begin to experience the goodness of God. The first involves slowing down, becoming quiet and learning to be present in the present moment. The second entails paying attention to the beauty that surrounds us.

Silence

Our world is noisy and hurried, and few of us stop to be still. The God who is good can only reach us when we are quiet. To paraphrase the psalmist, we must be “still” to know that God is “good.” This week I encourage you to try to find five minutes each day to sit in silence. Get a cup of something warm and delicious, find a comfortable chair, and just sit quietly. That’s all. It is not terribly difficult, but it yields great benefits. Some tips:

Look for little free spaces in your day, such as a break between activities.

Get up a little earlier or leave for your next appointment a little sooner so that when you arrive you will have extra time to find a quiet place and “just be.”

Creation

Creation speaks of the goodness and glory of God through dazzling colors and intoxicating scents. The sunrises and sunsets are grand spectacles that happen twice each day and are seldom noticed by people too busy to look. God could have made an ugly world; he was not obligated to make a world that inspires awe. Beauty has a lot to do with order. Simply gazing at a daisy reveals the mind of God.

Take a walk outside and pay great attention to the sights, sounds and colors of nature.