Daily Devotions for Difficult Days [40] The Goodness of God

Our Sunday Devotionals are written by Mike Loveridge, Assistant Pastor at Manor Park Church

THE GOODNESS OF GOD

The song for this week is Goodness of God by Bethel music. You can listen to the song here. Like previous weeks, I suggest you listen to the song, dwell on the words and then read through my brief comments. I hope this song blesses you as it has me.

I love You, Lord
For Your mercy never fails me
All my days, I've been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

Cause all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

I love Your voice
You have led me through the fire
And in darkest night You are close like no other
I've known You as a Father
I've known You as a Friend
And I have lived in the goodness of God, yeah

And all my life You have been faithful,
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God, yeah

'Cause Your goodness is running after, it's running after me
Your goodness is running after, it's running after me
With my life laid down, I'm surrendered now
I give You everything

 What a beautiful reminder of God’s personal involvement in our life! This song speaks of a God who cares for us, is speaking to us, leading us at all times. It points to the love and care that God has for his people every day of our lives. In these strange and difficult times, it is such an encouragement to know that God is always there and always holding us in His hand.

This picture is drawing on scriptural truth. Isaiah 41:13 says, “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” What a comfort.

I love this song because it reminds me of several different characteristics of God and that is what I want to focus on this morning. These characteristics are God’s faithfulness, goodness, and God love for us both as a father and a friend.

Faithfulness

There are times when we may doubt this because of circumstances and situations in our lives, but God is faithful, and as Christians we are called to walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Cor. 5:7). Despite the evolving and unstable seasons that life brings, we are called to trust God both in the good times and the bad. Life can often be hard, challenging, and seem unfair. When things do not go according to our plans, we become can become anxious, depressed, even angry, but God remains faithful. If you have been a Christian a while you will be able to look back on your life and see all the times that God has been faithful. God is faithful in providing for us (Philippians 4:19), in strengthening us (Philippians 4:13, 2 Corinthians 12:9) and working in us (Philippians 1:6) as well as so many other ways.

If you are questioning God faithfulness today remember God says ‘I will never leave you or forsake you’ (Deuteronomy 31:6). He is always faithful.

Goodness

God is a good God. It may not always feel or seem that way when bad things happen but it is true. God isn’t just a God who does good things but the Bible tell us that God himself is good - . It is who he is and his character never changes. Psalm 46 says ‘God is our refuge and strength, a present help in times of trouble. Therefore we will not fear.’ Charles Spurgeon commenting on this Psalm said this: “God is good — not because he causes things that seem or feel “good” to happen in our lives, but because in the midst of the storm, God comes closer to us than the storm could ever be.’ That is why we can say that God is good. No matter the trouble or the pain, God draws close to us and strengthens us through the storm. Without God’s goodness we wouldn’t make it through the trial as He sustains us each day. We may not understand his goodness towards us at the time or even in the course of our life time but we can be sure that every sorrow or harm we suffer will be redeemed for good in the fullness of Gods time. As Romans 8:28 so famously puts in, ‘We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him’. Our emotions towards God change but he is always and forever the same good God.

Father

God is our father. What does that mean? Well God is our Father in the sense that he made us. But he is more than just that. He is our Father because he cares for us, provides for us, protects us and loves us a father should. For some that is a difficult thought because they haven’t had a good dad but God is the perfect father. The bible is littered with reference to God being our father:

John 10:29 shows us that we are secure in the hand of the Father.

Matthew 23:9 – shows us that God is our Father if we have faith.

James 1:17 – shows that God as our Father provides for us.

Romans 8:17 – because he is our Father we have an inheritance.

And the list could go on for a long time but what an awesome thought that we have a powerful God whom we can call Father and who loves us so much that he sent his Son to die for us.

Friend

God wants us to be his friend. He doesn’t want us to just know about him but he wants us to know him like we know a friend. That means an intimate and close relationship where you talk freely and openly. The Bible calls us to trust Jesus as our Saviour, to come humbly before him as our King but also to enjoy him as our friend.

John 15:15 shows Jesus the night before his death telling his disciples this very fact. Jesus didn’t want his disciples to be just servants but friends. To be a servant of Jesus is an honour but what a privilege to be his friend. When Jesus died for you upon the cross he didn’t do it as a master for a slave but as a friend for a friend (john 15:13). At the very centre of the gospel and heart of Christ is friendship.

You were made for friendship with God and it has been made possible through Christ. Do you live as a friend of God? As friends we do not diminish the authority of God. Jesus himself makes that clear in John 15:14 when he says, ‘ You are my friends if you do what I command’. But we were made for friendship with God so are you cultivating that friendship? How do you do that? By spending time with God in his word and in prayer. God knows us better than we know ourselves and knows our every thought before we do and he loves us more deeply than anyone else ever could. Why wouldn’t you want to deepen your friendship with God? Friendships without communication don’t thrive so spend time talking and listening to God.

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Heavenly Father,

We come before you and thank you for who you are. We thank you that you are an awesome, powerful and almighty God and yet at the same time you are full of mercy and grace towards us.

We thank you for your great faithfulness and goodness towards us. We pray this morning for those who are struggling at the moment. May they know your faithfulness and goodness towards them.

We thank you that not only are you our king, but you are also our Father and friend. May our love for you, our knowledge of you and our trust in you grow day by day. May we prioritise spending time cultivating our relationship with you.

We ask all this in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Amen.