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
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