Theologos: Taste And See That The Lord Is Good

God is good. His goodness is all around us and woven through every part of our life. The first time we see the goodness of God is in His good creation;

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.Genesis 1: 3-4 NASB

God is summum bonum, the highest good.

“All that emanates from God—His decrees, His creation, His laws, His providences—cannot be otherwise than good: as it is written, ‘And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold it was very good.’ (Gen. 1:31). Thus, the ‘goodness’ of God is seen first in creation. The more closely the creature is studied, the more the beneficence of its Creator becomes apparent” (Arthur Pink, 1975, 58.)

We must begin with this understanding, that God is good, in this dark world, with its evil, poverty, disease, rumors of war…He is the Light of the World, and He causes darkness to flee.

It is hard for us to understand this from our perspective, because we seem to have darkness before us whichever way we turn. There are few constants in this life, one of them is evil. Jesus promised that we would suffer trials, and they will remain in the earth until Christ once again kisses the earth with His glorious coming. In the Old Testament, specifically in the prophetic books, the prophets bring warning of coming destruction and punishment for Israel, should they not turn from their idolatrous ways and run back into the arms of their loving Father. But always riding the coat-tails of impending doom, comes the promise of redemption—another constant. Always. The trouble may not go away, but God promises to be with us through it, and when we come out the other side. The goodness of God brings hope and healing in the midst of our circumstances, and keeps us from falling into despair, if we but dare to trust Him:

I would have fainted, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13 NASB

“The goodness of God appeared most illustriously when he sent forth His Son ‘made of woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons’ (Gal. 4:4-5).” (Pink, 59).

The goodness of God desires your healing. The goodness of God desires to deliver you.

Prophecy:

Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way (Ps. 25:8)

For thou Lord, art good, and ready to forgive (Ps. 86:5)

The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works (Ps. 145:9)

For the Lord is good;His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations (Ps. 100:5)

Fulfillment:

I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.Jn. 10:11 NASB

Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me? Jn. 10:32 NASB

You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38 NASB

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? Rom. 2:4 KJV

For the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth. Eph. 5:9 NASB

To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power. 2 Thess. 1:11 NASB

If you are hurting, suffering a trial, or just feel hopeless or despair, look for the goodness of God in the land of living…even if the land you’re in feels desolate—God is there too, He is the God who sees you, just as He saw Hagar wandering, running away from an abusive situation:

Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees”; for she said, “Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?”Gen. 16:13 NASB

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Ps. 34:8 NASB

The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him. Nah. 1:7 NASB

In His Grace,