GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME
Psalm 91:5: “You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day.”
There was once a very wise and great man named Nahum Ish Gamzu. Nahum was his given name. Ish Gamzu identified him as one who always said, “This, too, is for the best.” Nahum found every situation—good or bad—a gift from God.
Nahum’s outlook on life’s disappointments was weird. Maybe we can learn something from his insistent positive attitude towards God’s characteristic goodness.
The story goes like this: Nahum’s distinguished student was a first century rabbi named Akiva. As daylight began fading on one of Akiva’s travels, he entered a village. Hoping to find shelter for the night, Akiva knocked on the door of the first house he saw. The homeowners turned him away. Three more homeowners responded the same way. No one invited Akiva inside.
Hearing his mentor’s voice in his head, “This, too, is for the best,” Akiva smiled. Shrugging off people’s inhospitality, he decided to find a place to camp in the woods. Akiva knows that God is good ALL the time. (See lesson linked below).
In the woods, Akiva found a spot to rest and lit his lamp. He also found: for his donkey that hauled his stuff, and a rooster—who would wake him each morning—a place to rest. But soon a lion ate his donkey. Then a jackal ate his rooster. A strong wind blew out the flame in Akiva’s lamp. Sitting in total darkness, Akiva heard Nahum’s voice insisting, “This, too, is for the best.”
Akiva decided not to freak out over losing his donkey and rooster. He decided to agree with Master Nahum. He thought, God is good all the time, and soon fell fast asleep.
A ruckus from the town didn’t waken Akiva. He woke up on his own, feeling refreshed. But upon leaving, Akiva discovered that the Romans had pillaged the village overnight. All the people were taken captive. If Akiva had stayed with any of them, he would have been captured, too! Akiva smiled, assured once again that Nahum’s words are true. By God’s hand, the people’s inhospitality was for his best.
Akiva realized that If God hadn’t killed his donkey, rooster, and his light, the Romans would have discovered him and hauled him off, too. Akiva fell on his knees thanking God that, “this, too—sparing my life—is for the best!”
Take Home Nugget
Remembering that little phrase can alter people’s awful situations, our days, and even our lives! May we remember Nahum’s insisting that this (God’s will) is for the best.
Praise God that Believers have nothing to fear during the day or night…because He is good all the time!
Adapted from “All for the Best” by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein. October 30, 2016. www.HolyLandMoments.com
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