Psalm 107:1-3 (CEB)

“Give thanks to the Lord because he is good,
        because his faithful love lasts forever!”
That’s what those who are redeemed by the Lord say,
    the ones God redeemed from the power of their enemies,
    the ones God gathered from various countries,
    from east and west, north and south.


Reflection

God’s goodness is for all to witness. The goodness of God is heard through some of the Old Testament Psalms (see Psalm 27, 34, or 145, for example) and then also realized through the life of Jesus in the New Testament. Jesus’ words about God remind us of our humanity, that truly only “God is good” (Mark 10:18). In Romans, we hear that God makes “all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28). Then, in James 1:17, we learn that “all good things come from God.” It is the overall and lasting conclusion of the Bible — we serve a loving and good God.

Of course, when spelled out, the word good is just God expanded and extended. For me, this analogy says it all! Therefore, goodness is God offered out to others in the world. Even in an uncertain time, I know that God’s faithful love for me is steeped in goodness. So I will “give thanks to the Lord because he is good, because his faithful love lasts forever.”

Because of God’s goodness, we are redeemed. We are redeemed by God’s good love for us and not because of anything that we have done or could ever do. So when I struggle, I hold on to the hope of the goodness of God. Good is just God expanded and extended through us. I want to be an extension of God’s goodness, today and every day.

By Barbara Carlson


For Pondering & Prayer

Goodness is realized as God’s love that is shared for all. Just for today, how is God’s goodness realized within you? Do you ever struggle with the question of God’s goodness? How? Today, stop and reach out to someone who needs to hear a witness to God’s goodness.

Prayer: Gracious God, we pause to consider just how much you love us. Thank you for the faithful ways that your love cares for us and gives us comfort. Thank you for guiding our choices, so that we may reflect your goodness, even in a broken world. As we pause today, help us to live in your steadfast embrace. Help us to extend your goodness in all that we do. In the name of your Son, Jesus, amen.