The Goodness of The Lord

What a blessing rain is when the ground is dry and dusty, when the food plants need the moisture to grow, when man needs the water to drink and wash.  Do you know how the rain is formed?  Does the miracle of the water vapour being drawn up from the earth and lodged into the dust particles in the air to be carried to where the rain will fall come into mind when you are refreshed by the showers?  Do you consider whether you and others are deserving of such a blessing?  Pause and consider the goodness of God and how it touches your life every day.  Do you sense his presence, his forgiveness, his love, his compassion all the time or just in those moments when anxiety or distress touches you?  Remember that what he has made; he governs to reveal his great character of truth, love, justice and many more qualities so that there is no question left unanswered about the accusations the Devil has made against our God.

The constant stream of ‘why’ became a little disconcerting to the parent who wanted to move on to other things.  Patiently though the questions were answered to help the child grasp what he didn’t know, so he could build the new view of the world he was living in.  We are often puzzled about what is going on around us.  We have a picture of God’s goodness and when things don’t fall into that picture we have questions.  Who do we go to, to ask those questions?  Do we go to the source or does that require too much faith?  Jesus never tires of answering our questions but he does ask one thing of us, which is to be willing to listen and create that new picture he is painting for us.  It is an exciting journey of faith when we are willing to be part of it.  The most important requirement is that we have to let go of those thoughts and ideas that were stepping stones in the process and embrace the new expanded view of who God is.  Are you enjoying such an exciting adventure of discovering the goodness of the Lord?

Can you imagine a fountain of tears?  A fountain that runs day and night and never stops running?  Can you imagine the sorrow that would cause anyone to wish for such a thing?

Imagine further how you would feel if you found out that what you had been told was based on lies, how would you feel?  What if you discovered that you were being used and abused because of these lies?  Is the sorrow building?  Now consider a stubborn refusal to listen to the truth which is played out be doing more of that which was asked not to be done?  Are the feelings intensifying?  Go further and add to this that you are being accused of being the reason for the lies, deceit, abuse and stubbornness.    Is this picture causing you to wish for a fountain of tears of sorrow as you see those whom you love behave in such a disgraceful manner?  Maybe you can’t see yourself in all this, but this is what sin does and who of us are not sinners?  It is only when we humbly come to the Lord with a circumcised heart that we can see his goodness and the above is not a description of the sorrow we cause the Lord.

Who does not want to be loved?  It is only in our darkest moments that we turn from love for it pierces the gloom with light that is too bright for our thinking.  Move away from the darkness and into the light and what joy there is even in the midst of great sorrow.  Respect for yourself and others come from having that respectful relationship with the Lord.  In this heart circumcised relationship kind words and deeds cover the unkind, truth replaces lies, ears are open to listen and hear the Word of God and hearts respond by right living.  Is suffering removed from such a situation?  It seems not, a look at Jesus’ sinless life tells us otherwise for we see how much he suffered.  We can take comfort though in knowing that the darkness that continually attacked Jesus will attack us, but with Jesus we can resist and be victorious to live by faith and share in the goodness of God.

The Christian journey surely is an adventure in faith living the truth filled life while surrounded by the forces of darkness that try their best to rob us of this joy.  The choice is ours who will guide our lives and in whose presence we spend each moment of every day.  God’s goodness is right, just, and filled with unfailing love.  It is ours if we want it.  Do you want it today?