The God Who Delights in Being and Doing Good
Let His Goodness Comfort You. God's Sovereignty + Goodness = Ultimate Safety
“ Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.’ ” (Jeremiah 9:23-24).
At the end of a long day or during a hard time, I love crawling under a warm and soft blanket; it feels so safe and calming.
In you, O Lord, do I take refuge
Like all good things we experience in life, this sense of comfort points to God. He is our refuge in the storms of life. Turning to Him should feel like crawling under a warm, soft blanket on a cold night. God’s ‘arms’ are the safest place to hide in. Better than an inanimate and powerless blanket, it is an embrace of Eternal Peace and Ultimate Security.
His Love does not depend on our performance — “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). His Sovereignty guarantees that his good plan and purposes will come to pass — “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible […] all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16-17). In His Holiness, Goodness and Kindness, he will never sin against us nor do us evil. He only does good, even when circumstances are painful.
Today, I want to focus specifically on the Goodness of God. I realize that many of us struggle to believe in the Goodness of God due to various life experiences. However, believing that God is Good and Kind — through and through — is crucial to how we receive His comfort and His Word. My hope today is to cause you to believe and delight in the Goodness of God a little bit more. When you run to God in prayer, with your praises and laments, may you taste and see the warmth of His embrace.
Who Is God?
Several years back, I came across Jeremiah 9:23-24. To this day, I do not cease to be amazed by it. God Himself tells us that:
1- At His Very Core, He Is Good
God ‘practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth’. This theme, like a melody, is repeated throughout The Scriptures. In Exodus 33, God makes all his Goodness pass before Moses, proclaiming: “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness …” (Exodus 33:19 34:6).
2 - He Delights In Being and Doing Good
“‘For in these things I delight [steadfast love, justice, and righteousness]’, declares the Lord.” This is the part that struck me most. It is not just that God practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness but he also delights in it. God does not wish that anyone should perish. He is not empathetic to our suffering. He delights in doing good to all.
What’s Our Response?
‘Let him who boasts boast .. that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth’.
God calls us to know the real Him. He wants us to understand that He is Good — and to put our confidence in Him. “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).
May you know, believe and boast in the Goodness of God. May it be like a warm blanket on a cold day. May God be your refuge and shield in the storms of life.
A song that helps me meditate on these truths: ‘Psalm 145’ By Shane and Shane.
All Scripture references are from the English Standard Version (unless otherwise noted).