My God Is Good
Who redeems your life from destruction; Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies. — Psalms 103:4
Put on therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance. — Colossians 3:12
Author
Faustino de Jesús Zamora Vargas
Summary: Our God is good, and we must continue proclaiming his goodness amid idolatry. Unlike the gods to whom sacrifices are offered to obtain favors, the God of the Bible responds with mercy: he sustained Elijah, welcomed David when he repented, and loved Peter even though he knew Peter would deny him. Even his fatherly discipline and rebuke reveal his goodness. Its most glorious manifestation is Jesus Christ: though we do not deserve it, we receive life and salvation in him, and we await the riches of his grace. Therefore, as Christians, we must clothe ourselves with goodness and show love and kindness.
Although this may seem like a subject whose message is obvious to most Christians, we must not stop proclaiming that our God is goodness. In Cuba—as surely in other countries—where idolatry rises “up to our necks” and a thousand and one gods vie for supremacy in the religious life they represent, it is very important to proclaim that the God revealed in the Holy Scriptures is kind.
Can there be a god who is not? Yes, of course there can. In these parts, angry, vengeful, resentful, suspicious “gods” abound. Along with worship, some “ask” for money, others for food from special sacrifices, and almost all delight in the orgiastic and lascivious dances their devotees dedicate to them. These are gods designed for barter and business. If the god in question “grants” a request, it receives worship and everything the chief officiant suggests might please it; if it does not answer its devotees’ pleas, they tend to quarrel with their gods for an indefinite time or, in the worst cases, devote themselves to doubling or tripling offerings of every kind until their requests are answered.
How different is the God of the Bible! The God who sent rain to His people after a heartfelt prayer from His prophet Elijah following 3 years of drought. The God who comforted and loved David after he repented of his sins; the incarnate God who, even knowing that Peter would deny Him three times, did not withhold His love from him; the Christ who wipes away sin forever when a person turns to Him—that is goodness! Even in acts of divine discipline and fatherly rebuke, the Lord shows His goodness. How much goodness has the Lord poured out upon His creation for His glory?
The glorious manifestation of God’s goodness toward humanity is Jesus Christ. In Him, God has given us salvation though we do not deserve it. My God is good, supremely good. “…we were by nature objects of God’s wrath. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love for us, gave us life with Christ, even when we were dead in sins.” (Eph 2:3-5). Hallelujah!
Could there be a greater act of goodness from the Lord, who promises to show us the surpassing riches of His grace in Christ Jesus in the ages to come? (Eph 2:7).
Because Christ is goodness, Christians must clothe themselves in goodness and show their love and kindness. David praised the Lord, singing, “…You also gave me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand upheld me, and Your gentleness made me great.” (Ps 18:35). There is no God like our God!
God bless you!
Suggested reading: Psalm 146