“God is great; God is good. Let us thank Him for this food. By His hands we all are fed. Give us, Lord, this daily bread. Amen.”
(by unknown)
A simple childhood prayer that for many was one of the first prayers learned while sitting at the kitchen table, head bowed, eyes closed, with pudgy little hands folded. Simple, but profound.
G-O-O-D, a simple and frequently over-used four-letter word.
You’re such a good boy!
Good job!
Have a good day.
Good night.
Good grief!
Good as new!
Sounds good.
That’s a good deal.
There’s good news and bad news.
Have a good time.
Looks good!
There are literally hundreds of other examples. So, when we think of God as good, our response may be “well, of course He is – He’s God!”
How do you define the word “good”? Maybe like me, you would define the word differently based on the situation or context. If I’m at a baseball game and say, “that was a good swing,” I mean one thing. If I tell a friend, your baby was so good while you were out, I mean something quite different. A good day spent with your sweetheart is likely defined differently than a good job done on your clothes by the dry cleaner.
What does God say is good? Genesis Chapter One, the first chapter in the Bible, gives you an answer to that question and demonstrates the enormity of God’s definition of good. Six times during the six days of Creation, God called His work good:
1. He created of light,
2. He formed land and seas,
3. At God’s command, the earth sprouted vegetation, plants, and trees,
4. God created the sun, moon and stars and set them in orbit marking day and night,
5. God filled the skies with flying creatures and the waters with creatures of all sorts
6. God created all the living creatures that inhabit the earth
After each of these astounding accomplishments, God said “that it was good.”
On the sixth day after the creation of living creatures, God created man and woman and God’s creative work was completed. Scripture says,
“And God saw everything that HE had made, and behold, it was very good.” Genesis 1:31
These verses in Genesis expand my understanding of how God defines “good.”
Much of what we call “good” is simply a dim shadow of God’s goodness. Sin has tainted God’s good, perfect creation. It is no longer pure or complete.
What does it mean when the Bible says that God is good?
Unlike any contextual or situational definition of good, God is THE definition of good. HE is without fault, without error, sinless, pure, righteous, and holy in every way. “God is essentially, absolutely, and consummately good.”1
To say that God is “intrinsically good” means that goodness is essential to His nature and essence. For God to be God, every God-ascribed attribute, including goodness, must be present and it is. Praise God! HE is the ultimate good and the source of ALL good. There is not one speck of evil or darkness in God.
When the rich young ruler addressed Jesus as “Good Teacher,” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” (Mark 10:18; see also Mark 10:17-22, Matthew 19:16-22, and Luke 18:18-23)
God’s goodness is all encompassing and complete in every way. There are no missing parts or pieces, and like all attributes of God, His goodness acts in perfect harmony with all other attributes of His being.
Read Psalm 145 to get a beautiful picture of God’s goodness working in concert with:
– His unsearchable greatness,
– His mighty acts,
– the glorious splendor of His majesty,
– His wonderous works and awesome deeds,
– His greatness and righteousness,
– and His graciousness, patience, mercy, and steadfast love.
It is from His goodness that He showers His creation with goodness: rains that fall, crops that grow, cool breezes, skies painted with glorious sunrises, sunsets over calm seas, snowcapped mountains – the list is endless. HE is so good.
“The LORD is good to all, and His mercy is over all that He has made.”
Psalm 145:9
And here is the remarkable thing, because of our relationship to God through Jesus Christ, we (believers) are the vessels of His good work here on earth. Even with our human imperfections, God can, and God does, do His good work through us – what an awesome privilege and responsibility!
As Christ-followers, we are called to do God’s good work! Since before time began, work assignments were prepared specifically for you and me…waiting until our hearts are ready to obey, our spirits are ready to serve, and our hands are ready to pick up the pen, the hammer, the microphone, the fishing rod, the “whatever tool” required to do the work of God.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10
Certainly, God could handle all His work without help from us, but He has chosen to employ us in His “good works force.” And while we are obediently carrying out the work He places in our hands, He is working in us.
“I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6
It gives me great hope, encouragement, and comfort to know that God’s good work in me will one day be completed. HE will not give up on me, HE will bring me to completion. The following verses also bring great hope and joy to my heart:
“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true) and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:8-11
Just as God created the sun, moon and stars, God has chosen His children to be the light in this sin-darkened world. My light shines when I am doing “all that is good and right and true” – God’s good works.
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8
GOD is great, GOD is good. Let us thank HIM.
1 W. E. Vine, Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson publishing co.) p.273