God is the standard of beauty, faithfulness, kindness, and truth. He is the source of all goodness.
To say God is great is to focus on His power: He speaks creation into existence, makes the skies thunder and rain, and sets the planets in their orbits. But to say God is good is different; it is not just another way of recognizing His power. The goodness of God speaks to His personal character—who He is in relationship to us. In all ways and in all things, God is good. He is never absent, disinterested, careless, ill-tempered, petty, spiteful, or mean. He is set apart from all evil and does what is right, faithful, kind, and true. Always.
True goodness is defined by who God is. He doesn’t just do good—He is good. In Psalm 119:68, the psalmist prays, “You are good, and you do what is good; teach me your statutes.” The key to understanding the goodness of God is learning who He is through His Word. If we don’t learn His statutes, we will bring our own definitions and impose them on God. And when He doesn’t do what we think He should, we will accuse Him of failing to be “good” by our own standards—not His.
In His goodness, God gives us what we need and withholds what we do not. If we ask for bread, He will not give us a harmful serpent or a useless stone, He will give us what we need (Luke 11:11; Matthew 7:9). The God who withholds no good thing is the same God who gives no bad thing. Sometimes we don’t realize that we ask God for stones and serpents. When we ask God to give us things that are useless or harmful, the good Father refuses. As sure as He will not give a serpent when His children ask for fish, neither will He give them a serpent when His children unwittingly ask for one.
Yes, God is great, but He is also good. All the time and in all things. He does good because He is good.
He does good because He IS good. I love this. Such a beautiful reminder. Eye opening to think of myself unknowingly asking for snakes and stones, but it’s so true!! How many times have I asked for something outside of his will…because I want it…A very much needed reminder to focus on His good will and not my own isles or potentially even harmful agenda.
God is good. All the time. Not when I feel good. Not when my circumstances are good. Not when my life is good. Not when I am good. All the time. No matter where I might be in my life, he is still good.
Amen! Lord, please help me remember that You are always
God is good. I will speak this truth out loud when circumstances around me try to convince me otherwise. I will speak this out loud when doubt fills my mind. God. Is. Good.
Lord you are good and we give thanks.
Faithful
Rescuer
Salvation
Holy
Blessing always
Amen and praise the Lord!
My portion,
Righteous
Friend
Love for eternity
Alpha
Omega
Beginning
End
Thirst quencher
My God
and my Father
“Sometimes we don’t realize that we ask God for stones and serpents.” Wow! Yes! We cannot see the big picture, His plan… our small minds cannot possibly be aware that we might be asking for “bad” things. God is good all the time, and all the time God is good!
Thank you
God is good, all the time God is good, Amen
I needed this reminder today. Exactly one week ago, my employer of nearly 6 years let me go with no reason. I was not ready to retire quite yet. I’m single. I’ve been sad and angry and very scared. I’m still scared. But I know God is in control and He, being good and God, will take care of me.
Linda, how have you seen God move in the last five months?