GOD IS GOOD, GOD IS GREAT
Matthew 19:17
“‘Why do you ask Me about what is good?’ Jesus replied. ‘There is only One Who is good.’”
Psalm 145:3
“Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom.”
“God is good. God is great. Let us thank Him for our food. Amen.” third-grader Benjy prayed at the table. Smiling, he snatched a hot dog from the platter. “How do I know that God is good and great?” he took a bite and began chewing. “Thur times thuff ith bad” he tried saying.
“You know better than to talk with a full mouth” Benjy’s Mom chided.
“Yeah, you know better!” Benjy’s twin brother, Danny, echoed. He kicked Benjy and grabbed a hot dog. “God is good and great ‘cause He gives us stuff to eat!”
Danny’s right…to a point. But what if we don’t have anything to eat? Is God still good? How can we say that God is good and great when we’re sad, sick, or hungry?
“God is good and great all the time” is the Christian’s worldview.
We find evidence of God’s goodness and greatness on every page of the Bible. God does whatever pleases Him, but He always works toward achieving His purpose. He works every situation—about which I know nothing, nor could understand if I did know—for the good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). God’s running the whole universe, including our lives (even though we think that we’re in charge).
That’s humbling. We can believe that God is good, because goodness is His nature. He cannot act otherwise than what is His nature. He cannot lie, for example. Doesn’t that give you pause?
Knowing that God is good provides courage to cry out for help when we’re freaked. He promises to provide for every need. We’re content, because if we need anything else, He’d give it to us (Matthew 6:8).
To say that God is great acknowledges that He’s sovereign (SOV-rin means supreme ruler), not limited by anything. He naturally works things out for good and He gets the glory. That’s right. God works everything out for your good and His glory. Believing that God is good and great encourages us to praise and thank Him. “For Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever” (at the end of the Lord’s Prayer) affirms our belief that the glory belongs to Him.
Take Home Nugget
Some only say, “God is good” when things go their way. If their God is good only in good times, then their God is not the God of the Bible!
Blessings, goodness and greatness in God I find.
Believing this simply blows my mind!
J.D. Griffith
A personal, private lesson experience with our staff
Written for http://www.biblestudyforkids.com/
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My background is a life time of worship, but seriously following Jesus came with age. Spiritual maturity is a leap of faith. Sometimes we don’t know what we’re missing until living on the edge of God’s leading. My life of self sufficiency ended abruptly when losing my job as an analytical chemist after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Now living on the edge of God’s leading has become a way of life that I wouldn’t trade for anything else.
Surrendering one’s will to the Lord can be scary. Why did I wait so long to do it? Diving into an intimate relation with the sovereign God of creation is the most secure position in the universe. Will you share your experience with me? Will you let me give you my testimony? May I introduce you to the Jesus I know?