Dear SCC & Friends,
The Lord is good to all… ~Psalm 145:9
Reflection #169
God is the definition of goodness… And His mercies are over all His works. Common grace is every favor of whatever kind or degree, falling short of salvation, which this undeserving and sin-cursed world enjoys at the hand of God… ~John Murray~…for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. ~Lk. 6:35 The sun rises and the sun sets whether a person is a Christian or not… Farmers all over the world rely on the certainty and necessity of the four seasons whether they are Christians or not. God’s love and provision extends to every man. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ~Rom. 5:8 God’s goodness is the root of all goodness. ~William Tyndall~ In fact, it is His goodness and love that creates, sustains and redeems. Before and after Christ …He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ~Matt 5:45
Part of the infinite goodness of God is that He should allow evil to exist, and out of it to produce good. ~Augustine~ The “goodness” of God is far more than good. It is a sovereign excellence and an innate characteristic rather than something acquired or instilled. The Hebrew word “Chesed” refers to the substance of God’s goodness. …The Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth… ~Ex. 34:6 Twelve years ago our five-year-old grandson had a brain tumor and suffered a massive stroke after surgery. At the time, we received far more than common grace to see His goodness in the midst of crisis and pain. I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. ~Ps. 27:13 …And by His grace, we did see the goodness of God and continue to see it to this day…. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life. ~Ps. 23:6a Indeed, …all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. ~Rom. 8:28 Keep up the good work!
God is good and good all the time,
Kevin