Day 15: The Goodness of God
An inherent attribute of God is His goodness. In our day, we use the word good casually and it can mean all sorts of things. A.W. Tozer helps us define it: “The goodness of God is that which disposes Him to be kind, cordial, benevolent, and full of good will toward men. He is tenderhearted and of quick sympathy, and His unfailing attitude toward all moral beings is open, frank, and friendly. By His nature He is inclined to bestow blessedness and He takes holy pleasure in the happiness of His people.”
God’s goodness can be a big concept for our brains to grasp because we are jaded by even the word good. Here are some things it absolutely does mean:
- God never sins – He is always good and always pure, all the time.
- God cannot contradict His character – He is unchanging.
- God is truth – there is nothing false in Him.
- God desires relationship with us – and sent His Son to accomplish that for eternity.
- God freely offers forgiveness and salvation to our sin-stained hearts.
- God is holy and pure – nothing impure can ever be part of God.
God’s goodness also means more than these things, but these are a few examples. One of the best parts of God’s goodness is that it never changes, ends, or requires performance by us. There is nothing we can do to contribute to or achieve God’s goodness, it is His to offer to us – which He generously does. To gaze on the goodness of God is to think about many more of His attributes, the things that define Him, because His goodness is intricately woven into many other defining elements of who He is.
Psalm 107:1, “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”
Prayer:
Do good in Thy good pleasure unto us, O Lord. Act toward us not as we deserve but as it becomes Thee, being the God Thou art. So shall we have nothing to fear in this world or in that which is to come. Amen. – A.W. Tozer
Response:
What does God’s goodness mean to you in your own walk with Him? Write a prayer expressing this to Him.
Read Psalm 34 and make a list of the evidences of His goodness. (for example: vs. 4 – He answers and delivers)