Always Good

Psalm 145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
Psalm 119:68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
Psalm 107:1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
As Christians, we have heard the phrase, “God is always good.” In fact, we’ve said it; we’ve sung it; we’ve put it on the walls of our homes. It is one of the simplest foundations of our faith. From the first days of creation, God has placed His goodness into our world. It started with light. Genesis 1:4, “And God saw the light, that it was good.” In fact, with each new day of creation, He saw that all of His work was good. (Genesis 1:10,12,18,21,25,31) Genesis 2 tells us that He gave man trees that were “good for food.” Even the creation of womankind came from the heart of God when he saw that it was “not good the man should be alone.” God is good.
 
God is the essence of goodness. He is the measure of what is good. All that He is defines goodness itself, and we measure all other things by Him. Psalm 119:68 declares, “Thou art good, and doest good.” It is not that sometimes God chooses to do good or that some of His works are better then others. Every thought, action, and purpose of God is wholly, purely good.
 
While we believe this to be true, there are moments that shake us deeply. Our outward proclamation may be, “God is good all the time.” While, in fact, our words may actually be trying to convince our hearts to believe its truth. However, during our worst of moments, we can remember that God was good even on earth’s darkest day. As our hearts have been focused on the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus during this Easter season, God has been continually reminding us that He is good.
 
Imagine for a moment the fleeting minutes leading to the crucifixion of Jesus. As Jesus’ disciples slept, we can hear him praying as He prepared for agony. “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done,” because God is always good. A kiss of betrayal was placed on His cheek by one He loved so deeply, but He went willingly to suffer. God’s love is always good. His most zealous followers cowered in darkness and cursed His name, yet He remained focused and undeterred. God’s plan is always good.
 
With each blow, His face began to swell and bruise. Spit seeped and dripped through the hairs of His beard just before it was ripped from His skin. The air seemed to crack as He was lashed over and over. The smell of blood was ripe as flesh was stripped back, and His beautiful face was pierced mercilessly. Through the pain, He could hear the crying, shouting, jeering, and mocking from every side. Nails, fashioned by hands that he created, were thrust through His body fastening Him to a tree to which He gave life. His sole possessions were gambled away while He became the culminating spectacle of human debauchery. His response? “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” You see, His mercy is always good.
 
As he bore our griefs and carried our sorrows, heaven was silent toward Him. In the midst of this silence, we can hear the final groan and breath exhaled from His lungs. With this, He put death to death. God is always good.
 
A lifeless body hanging limp on a cross, could this really be God on a tree. The miracles have ceased; His words gone silent; His life giving hands seem powerless. How could this ever be good? This barren hillside holds no resemblance of the Eden that God had once called good. Could this good plan really lead from the rivers of the lush green garden, to a cold, gray sunless sky. Death poured from his side and was swallowed up by dust. God is always good.
 
For three days that seemed unending, the body of the only innocent man, the only perfectly good man, laid alone in a grave never moving, never stirring. However, God is always good. We may never know what the moment was like when God gave victory back to life. What did it look like? What did it sound like? Eventually, the earth quaked and shook with His power. The lifeless one was now the giver of life. I’m sure if they could, the very rocks of that tomb would have shouted, “He’s alive,” as he stepped out into His world once more.
 
Look now, in an empty cavern: cold, dark, and silent. Listen carefully as our hearts must whisper, “God is always good.”
 
No matter what we face today, God has sent His Word through His Son Jesus Christ. He never changes, and He is always very good.