THE GOODNESS OF GOD
PS. 34:4-8
I. TEXT
DAVID RECALLS HOW GOOD GOD HAD BEEN TO HIM IN DELIVERING HIM FROM THE CLUTCHES OF KING SAUL. DAVID HAD BEEN ON THE RUN BECAUSE KING SAUL HAD ISSUED A WARRANT FOR HIS ARREST. DAVID FOUND HIMSELF HIDING IN CAVES, A REFUGEE FROM INJUSTICE; HE WAS ON KING SAUL’S EXTERMINATION LIST. BUT WHEN HE CONSIDERED THE GOODNESS OF GOD, HE CRIES OUT IN ADORATION, “O MAGNIFY THE LORD WITH ME, LET US EXALT HIS NAME TOGETHER.” DAVID PRAISED GOD FOR WHAT HE HAD DONE AND FOR WHO HE IS. MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WHENEVER WE REALIZE THAT WE ARE THE RECIPIENTS OF GOD’S GOODNESS WE SHOULD TAKE TIME TO PRAISE HIM. PSALMS 50:14 TEACHES, “OFFER UNTO GOD THANKSGIVING.” HEBREWS 13:15 TEACHES,” BY HIM THEREFORE LET US OFFER THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE TO GOD CONTINUALLY, THAT IS, THE FRUIT OF OUR LIPS GIVING THANKS TO HIS NAME.”
OUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GOD’S GOODNESS IS A TESTIMONY OF OUR EXPERIENCE WITH HIM. IN OTHER WORDS, WE ARE NOT PRIMARILY TALKING ABOUT WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR OTHERS, NOR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HAND ME DOWN GOODNESS, BUT WHAT WE KNOW TO BE FACTUAL.
II. HIS GOODNESS
GOD’S GOODNESS NEVER DIMINISHES BECAUSE HE IS ABSOLUTELY, INFINITIVELY, POSITIVELY, AND CONSUMMERATELY GOOD. HIS GOODNESS IS GREAT AND HE IS GREAT IN GOODNESS, PS. 31:19 TEACHES, “OH HOW GREAT IS THY GOODNESS.” GOD IS THE PERFECT EXPRESSION OF GOODNESS.
BECAUSE HE IS GOOD, HE BESTOWS HIS GOODNESS UPON HIS CHILDREN. BECAUSE HE BESTOWS HIS GOODNESS TOWARDS US, WE MUST SHOW GOODNESS TO OTHERS.
HIS GOODNESS FOLLOWS US ALL THE DAYS OF OUR LIVE (PS. 23:6). SINCE WE HAVE HIS GOODNESS, GOD EXPECTS PRAISE AND OBEDIENCE.
WHAT MAKES GOD GOOD? NOTHING! GOODNESS IS HIS INTRINSIC CHARACTER. HE IS GOOD BECAUSE HE IS GOD, AND THAT’S HIS NATURE, PS. 100:5 TEACHES, “FOR THE LORD IS GOOD.” AND MY BROTHERS AND SISTER, OH THAT MEN WOULD PRAISE THE LORD FOR HIS GOODNESS, AND FOR HIS WONDERFUL WORKS TO THE CHILDREN OF MEN! FOR HE SATISFIETH THE LONGING SOUL, AND FILLETH THE HUNGRY SOUL WITH GOODNESS.
IT’S HIS GOODNESS THAT LEADS SINFUL MEN AND WOMEN INTO REPENTANCE, ROMANS 2:4 TEACHES,”OR DESPISEST THOU THE RICHES OF HIS GOODNESS AND FORBEARANCE AND LONGSUFFERING; NOT KNOWING THAT THE GOODNESS OF GOD LEADETH THEE TO REPENTANCE.”
III. CONCLUSION
AS I EXAMINED THE TEXT, THREE POINTS ARRESTED MY ATTENTION. ONE, HIS GOODNESS IS A BLESSING THAT NO AMOUNT OF MONEY CAN PURCHASE. TWO, HIS GOODNESS TOWARDS US IS GREATER THAN OUR ANTAGONISTIC ADVERSARIES. THREE, WE SHOULD BE EVANGELISTICALLY COMPELLED TO PROCLAIM HIS GOODNESS.
· HIS GOODNESS IS AN OCEAN THAT HAS NO SHORE.
· A MOUNTAIN THAT HAS NO SUMMIT.
· A ROAD THAT HAS NO END.
· NOT MEAGER, BUT MUCH.
· NOT SKIMPY, BUT SUFFICIENT.
· NOT LITTLE, BUT LIMITLESS.
· NOT BARELY, BUT BOUNTIFUL.
· NOT FEEBLE, BUT FULL.
HIS GOODNESS NEVER GROWS OLD AND IS NEVER OUTDATED. THE MORE YOU RELY UPON IT, THE MORE RELIABLE YOU DISCOVER IT TO BE. THE MORE YOU TRUST HIS GOODNESS, THE MORE TRUSTWORTHY YOU’LL FIND HIS GOODNESS TO BE. THE YOU DEPEND ON HIS GOODNESS, THE MORE DEPENDABLE YOU’LL REALIZE IT TO BE.
