Pensamientos para hoy (afterthought for today)
God is good
I often listen to news radio and talk radio. I listen to these kinds of radio stations because it is a convenient way to learn about what is happening in the world, to find out about the weather forecast, and, in our heavily populated metropolitan New York area, to listen to traffic reports. But sometimes I get sick of hearing bad news and turn off the radio. When I'm being bombarded by a constant flow of bad news, I often wonder why the newscasters can't be more positive. Can't they find something good to report? We use the word "good" to describe many things. A little boy listens to his parents and they commend him by saying: "Good boy!" An ice cream cone tastes "good". Our children are encouraged to get "good" grades in school. The opposite of good in these cases would be a "bad" boy, food that tastes bad, and bad grades. But what do we mean when we say: "God is good"? Are we speaking only about his intrinsic goodness with respect to the absence of bad, or do we have something else in mind? Theologically speaking the goodness of God involves three areas of God's moral character: moral purity, integrity, and love. The second characteristic--integrity--is the quality about which we usually speak when we refer to God's goodness. God is good in that he is genuine (true), truthful (unable to lie), and faithful (trustworthy).1 If we find ourselves in a bad situation, we should not impugn God nor doubt his goodness. The circumstances in which we find ourselves may have many contributing sources. First, as an imperfect, limited, and sometimes sinful person I may have done or not done something that caused the problem. Second, other people may have purposefully tried to harm me. Third, bad things happen by accident. Fourth, Satan or one of his demons may be trying to harm me. The Bible says that "The LORD will do what is good in his sight (1 Chronicles 19:13)."2 God's actions towards us flow from his goodness. Whatever God allows to happen in our lives ultimately finds its source in God's goodness. Our circumstances may not be a direct result of God's actions, but behind all events is a good God who allows us to experience pain and tragedy; yet, in his goodness, he uses these events for good. The Bible says unequivocally: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28)." Trusting in God's goodness, Pastor Steve September 14, 2007Footnotes 1 Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983), Vol. 1, pp. 284-297. 2NIV (New International Version).
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