Father of Lights Vol II: the Good Shepherd

 

The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7 NKJV

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17 NLT

  God our Father is Good. Christians generally believe and accept this as truth. They will proclaim, 'Yes, God is good,' yet when crises or disasters occur, they usually lay the blame on God as the cause, the one who ordains or orchestrates it. 

 They believe God is God, so He must control everything. If He controls everything, that means He causes disaster for some mysterious purposes, yet rest assured, it's for our best. When we remove hyper sovereignty as an attribute of God, we can better see God's role in crisis, disaster, dysfunction, and turmoil. 

 God is God! He is the supreme ruler of the universe. He does have it all under control. God’s control is not robotic or coercive. He doesn’t program evil or disaster. Disasters and famines are the result of a fallen creation, not God killing people. Crime, violence, dysfunctional, and abusive families are not God's handiwork. Again, in a fallen world, sinful mankind acts out that sin, causing harm and hurt to others.    

  Jesus is the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd protects His flock. He provides for His flock. He preserves His flock. Look at the Father through the lens of Jesus, and you will see God's Goodness at all times, laying the blame for bad things that happen on the right source.  The source being the enemy satan, fractured and fallen creation, and the choices and actions of sinful man. 

 Knowing this, we can rest in His Goodness. If we know He isn't the one ordaining harm or horrendous events, we can trust Him with our whole lives. We can trust our Good Shepard to protect us and provide for us. He is merciful and compassionate. He isn't withholding deliverance, healing, or provision. He heals and protects and provides because He loves us.

 Another aspect we should place our full trust in is that the Good Shepherd preserves the sheep. Many believe our salvation is rooted in our ability to remain sin-free and steadfast, never wavering. Our trust is in our efforts and performance. 

 The Good Shepherd preserves His flock. When we first trusted in Him alone, He sealed us with His Spirit until the day of Redemption. So many believe the security of their salvation is based on their grip on God. The Good News is that the security of our salvation is based on His grip on us! 

 This is Good News, this is the best news! Jesus is preserving us and will never relax or loosen His hold upon us. 

  27 My sheep respond as they hear My voice; I know them intimately, and they follow Me. 28 I give them a life that is unceasing, and death will not have the last word. Nothing or no one can steal them from My hand. 29 My Father has given the flock to Me, and He is superior to all beings and things. No one is powerful enough to snatch the flock from My Father’s hand. John 10:27-29 VOICE

   God has us in the palm of His hands, and nothing will ever change that. His Grace grip has firmly secured and preserved us for all time and eternity. There is nothing that removes us from this Graceful grasp. 

    Jesus the Good Shepherd protects, provides for, and preserves His sheep. God is the author of salvation. Jesus is the beginning and developer of our Faith. What He started, He finishes. He who began the good work in you will be Faithful to complete it. 

   God is Good and only does good. He is not the author of disaster or death. He gives life eternal and is not the author of evil or calamity. In every storm, in every need, in every moment of doubt—we can look to Jesus, our Good Shepherd, and know we are protected, provided for, and preserved forever. He is always Good.

Image by AstralEmber from Pixabay

Father of Lights Vol II: Only Good

The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7 NKJV

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17 NLT

 When the Father sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, He demonstrated to the world just how loving He is. Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the enemy. He revealed the very nature and character of God.

God is Good all the time. This is not just a cliché or a catchy Christian phrase. God revealed His kindness, mercy, and goodness through the redemptive work of Jesus. When the disciples asked Jesus to “show us the Father,” He replied, “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father.”

So we must ask: Did Jesus ever send destruction or tragedy when He walked the earth? Did He ever give someone a crippling disease or inflict pain and suffering? Did He destroy lives—or save them?

If the answer is no, then we can know with confidence that God is not the author of evil or tragedy. Jesus never afflicted, killed, or harmed. He is Good—and He can only be Good!

 You are good and do only good; teach me your decrees. Psalm 119:68 NLT

You are good, and the source of good; train me in your goodness. Psalm 119:68 MSG

  The Word of God, our source of truth and guide for living, shows that God is only Good. God only does Good. 

 As of this writing, we in Texas have just witnessed a terrible tragedy. Texas experienced a flash flood that took so many lives. Many of the lost were young Christians at summer camp. When tragedy strikes, questions arise.

 It's good to ask questions. It's good to seek clarity and understanding during hard times. God is not afraid of man's questions from a place of anger and sorrow. He is our Father, and He cares for us.

 When tragedy strikes, we must be firmly established in the truth that God is Good and only does Good. We must be rooted in the truth that He is Good and not the author of destruction, death, and disaster. This Goodness is an anchor that produces hope during the worst circumstances. 

 In a fallen and fractured creation, storms arise and waters overflow. In a fallen world, floods occur. This is not the handiwork of God. This is the result of life in a fallen world. Yet during these times, God's peace and comfort are there, meeting us right where we are. 

 Let us never confuse life in a fallen world with the heart of our Heavenly Father. When we don’t understand, let us cling to what we do know:

“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him.” (Nahum 1:7)  

  He is not the destroyer. He is the Deliverer. And His Goodness is more than enough to carry us through.

His Goodness offers us hope that there is peace, healing, and restoration in Him. It may look hopeless, feel painful, and seem like never-ending sorrow is all we have to look forward to. Yet His Goodness brings hope. This hope will sustain anyone through the hard times.

His Goodness also allows us to run to Him during times of suffering. He is not the author of the storm, the trial, the tragedy, but He heals the heartbreak in the middle of it all. God is right there with the one afflicted. He is such a Good Father.

 In times like these, when the questions are many and the pain is raw, let’s hold fast to what is unshakable: God is Good, and He is for us. Let His Goodness be your stronghold, your refuge, and your peace. He has not abandoned you—He never will. Run to Him. Trust Him. Let His love surround you, heal you, and lift your eyes. Even in the darkest valley, the light of His Goodness will guide you home.

Image by David Yonatan González Aburto from Pixabay