God is Good… All the Time!

My most favorite line from a movie is “God is good all the time… and… all the time God is good!” (from “God’s Not Dead”). The corollary to this of course is man (woman & child) is NOT good all the time. In fact where there is trouble, there is a human (sometimes it’s even me) causing it. This is true no matter how many excuses/reasons given or scapegoats put in the way.

We can whine, we can pout, we can even retaliate, but our actions and reactions do not change the truth. God is perfect in all He is and all He does! We are not!

Genesis 4:4-8 Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. 

Was God to blame because He didn’t accept Cain’s offering? Was Able to blame because God did accept His. Was God just looking to cause trouble between loving brothers so He MADE one jealous of the other? Could Cain justify his reaction by claiming that God made him this way?

Who would you side with?

In our world today, it seems to me that we take credit for all that is creative and good and blame God for all that is not as we like it. We “kick” Him out of our lives and still expect Him to make us happy, healthy and wise (which is exactly what Eve thought the apple from the tree of Knowledge would do). We don’t bother to seek intimacy with Him yet we do all kinds of things in His name. We claim His authority but fail to act as He acts (always in love because God is love).

I’m telling you, if my kids did to me what we do to God… I would be merciless in my vengeance! But God…

Psalm 145:8-9 The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works. 

But what about… yeah, as a conglomeration of peoples, we have done some horrible, no good, really terrible things in the name of God! it is true, I won’t deny it… but let me just remind everyone that just because someone says they know and do what God says, doesn’t mean it’s true. Just because you/they have an impressive title or a “holy” position in a man-made religion does NOT mean you/they have the inside track to God. You/they ARE NOT God!! And just because you/they say it, does NOT mean we have to believe them/you.

The greatest gift of God has been the the gift of free will. It has also been the most terrifying in those who are filled with hate.

Psalm 140:4-5 Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men who have purposed to trip up my feet. The proud have hidden a trap for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set snares for me.

Well… if God is good (all the time)… then why doesn’t He “save” us from__________ (fill in the blank but it always comes down to saving us from ourselves)

He does… but He will not take away or destroy His greatest gift of free will.

But He will and does intervene in the lives who let Him work in them. Take a look at Joseph and the life his brothers tried to give him. Genesis 50:20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.  

Joseph sure wouldn’t have been chosen this path and I would give you odds if he had known what was coming he would have RAN for the hills! But his life prepared him for and gave him the position to save millions of people from starvation! But Joseph wouldn’t, couldn’t nor didn’t do it himself! Psalm 127:1 Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. 

My point in all of this is… God is good all the time… and all the time… God is good. God can’t be anything but good.

It is our definition of good that is the problem. Our definition of good is the same as Adam and Eve’s definition AFTER slandering the God whom they walked in intimacy with… we believe it is God’s job and sole purpose to make us happy, healthy and wise! And if He doesn’t? We throw a hissy fit and try to bully Him with threats of unbelief.

Let me speak the truth in love… our definition is wrong – it may be our entire “wish list” of prayer… but it is not the truth… no matter how many ways you speak it, nor how many times we beg for it. It is NOT God’s job nor sole purpose to make us happy… Nor is it God’s job to honor our every action, thought or word with His approval so we never have to deal with our bad behavior.

In order to know the truth, you have to know God… He is the truth… He can’t be anything else. In order to live the truth, you have to know the difference between Him and yourself.

Psalm 139:13-18 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.  Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.When I awake, I am still with You. 

This is truth… this is reality… God IS… and we are NOT… God!

Psalm 103:2-5 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; who pardons all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases; who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle. 

When I am overwhelmed by life and/or confused by the sights and sounds of our glorious masses of humanity… when I thought I knew how something SHOULD turn out and I find out I didn’t have a clue… when I am at my lowest in strength and my highest in suffering… this one thing gives me the greatest comfort…

God is good… all the time… and all the time… God is good!

Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are are called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

I don’t have to have THE answer to my dilemmas, I just have to know the God who delivers me from them… in His time! In order to know peace beyond comprehension, I must dwell with Him as my Abba…

You want to know the whole truth and nothing but the truth? He is the best Daddy you will ever know! He is good all the time… and… all the time He is good!

Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! 

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB  version of the Bible