We began our series on Goodness last time by exploring Moses’ request to see God’s glory, and the response to him “I will make all my goodness pass before you.” As we continue to explore God’s goodness, let us remember that God is not a complexity that can be divided into parts, dissected and compartmentalized. Rather, God is always all of who He is (hence the doctrine of Divine Simplicity). He is not sometimes good, but always without fail Good.
Today we will look to a few Old Testament Scriptures. All that has been written is for our instruction, to reveal what we can know, that we would grow in grace and in our knowledge of God, so that “through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:3-4)
I shall make mention of the hesed of the Lord, the praises of the Lord,
According to all that the Lord has granted us,
And the great goodness toward the house of Israel,
Which He has granted them according to His compassion
And according to the abundance of His hesed.
Isaiah 63:7
Can you see how intricately woven together are His goodness, His compassion, His unchanging, loyal, covenantal, promise-making-and-keeping, faithful love? Knowing His goodness toward His people leads to praise. Seeing it linked inseparably to His covenantal love will cause our hearts to exult in Him! (see here for more on hesed)
Let yourself read through these passages as the author of Psalm 119 would: slowly, thoughtfully, meditatively, prayerfully. When we pay attention, we realize that “He has granted them,” that is His goodness acted out in deeds of protection and provision and redemption–holding all things together by the Word of His power and working all things together for the good of those who love Him! When we pay attention, when we slow down to ponder and muse upon His works, we see them rooted in His love, His compassion, His steadfastness.
Thinking upon these things helps us trust
How great is Your goodness,
Which You have stored up for those who fear You,
Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You,
Before the sons of men!
Blessed be the Lord,
For He has made marvelous His lovingkindness [hesed] to me in a besieged city.
Psalm 31:19, 21
Consider the storehouse of His goodness! Consider the riches of His grace, and of His goodness. Ponder how this goodness and hesed will follow us all the days of our lives–even through the rough terrain, the seemingly impossible circumstances, the darkness, the shadows of death, the besieged cities.
O taste and see that the Lord is good;
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
What have you learned of God, of His essence, that you substitute “has” for “is”? Goodness is not a commodity up for grabs.
Psalm 34:8
God is good, His goodness is seen and heard and tasted in what He has done and is doing, but yet we must ultimately remind ourselves that He is good–rather than thinking there is anything good apart from Him. The goodness that His Spirit works in us is as Peter tells us, a partaking of the divine nature. It is us being transformed into His glory–not a good or a glory that we manufacture and then present to Him. Let us take refuge in Him, who alone is Good! (This is a post on OT uses, but we read all of Scripture as a whole; so see 2 Peter 1:1-4; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 5:6-10)
Thinking upon these things helps us persevere and overcome
Whom have I in heaven but You?
And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
For, behold, those who are far from You will perish…
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
That I may tell of all Your works.
Psalm 73:25-28
This whole psalm details an experience we have all lived out, and most likely will again (and again and again…) in this fallen world. The world seems to thrive, evil seems to win, our hearts are discouraged and growing weary with the constant mocking of the darkness.
It is truth, and corporate worship that revives our souls and reminds us of Who we have, and how all our ultimate desires are fulfilled in Him. He is near, beloved!
Next week we consider the Goodness revealed in Christ, and through our Union with Christ! Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash