GOD’S LOVE AND GOODNESS
The Bible says, “Surely [God’s] goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6). What about when the Lord allows trouble in our lives? Although we may not always recognize it, the Bible may help us to see that God is always good and loving (Psalm 107:1; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). To increase our faith, the bibles shows us people who saw God’s love and goodness despite having troubles
OLD TESTAMENT PEOPLE WHO SAW GOD’S LOVE AND GOODNESS
JOB. Although God allowed Job to suffer and be tried by the devil, Job came to believed God was good and loving.
Job “worshipped God and was faithful to him,” but God still permitted him to suffer and lose his family, his possessions, his friends and be afflicted with festering sore covering his body, at the hand of Satan. Yet, after he had suffered a while, Job said: The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:1-22 ). Furthermore, Job said: “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And… I myself will see him with my own eyes (Job 19:25-27).”
The LORD restored Job’s fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before (Job 42:10).
The Lord said: “There is no man that hath left [or lost] house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30).
KING DAVID believed God was good and loving even when the Lord afflicted him with troubles? David recognized that God, in his goodness and mercy, afflicted him because he had sinned against God. David said: “It was good for me to be afflicted that I might learn. After he was afflicted, David return to the Lord with gratitude for God’s goodness and mercy. David wrote many Psalms about the Lord’s love and goodness, which serve as guidance and encouragement to many readers today.
The Bible says, whom the Lord loves, he chastens and corrects as his children.(Proverbs 3:12; Hebrews 12:6).
OTHER OT PEOPLE. Reading Hebrews chapter 11 in the Bible, you can see many people—too many to name here– who by faith, saw and trusted in the love and goodness of God. However, a few are named here:
- Believing in God’s love and goodness: By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings.
- By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.
- By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
NEW TESTAMENT PEOPLE WHO SAW GOD’S LOVE AND GOODNESS
There are also far too many people in the New Testament to name here who saw and trusted in the love and goodness of God. However, two outstanding examples are named below.
PAUL. Our Lord Jesus Christ chose Paul as an apostle to be an example of one who recognized the goodness and love of God; and was willing to suffer for the Lord. In comparing himself to others who believed and suffered for Christ, Paul said he suffered more (2 Corinthians 11:23-31):
“23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again… 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.”
28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying.
The apostle Pale said, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).
JESUS. Christ is our perfect example (Hebrews 12:1-3). He recognized that he was the “beloved Son” of God (Matthew 3:17). He knew, “no one is good except God alone” (Mark 10:18). He responded by obeying and always doing “what pleased” the Father (John 8:29). Even when he was faced with the agony of dying on the cross for the sins of the world, he said, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Luke 22:42).
OUR RECOGNIZING GOD’S LOVE AND GOODNESS
- God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
- For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16)
- God works all things together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).
- The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made (Psalm 145:9)
- God makes the sun to shine on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45).
- Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good (Psalm 136:1).
Like those in the Bible who believed in the love and goodness of the Lord, and suffered for him; it has been granted unto us on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him (Philippians 1:29). However, the Lord has given us the Holy Spirit to empower us to overcome the troubles and suffering of this world ( John 14:16, 26; John 16:33).
The Bible says, those of us who see the love and goodness of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ should, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart” (Luke 10:27).
And the Word also says those who love him and suffer with him shall also reign with him in heaven (2 Timothy 2:12). For all who respond to his goodness with love, he has gone to prepare a place for us to live with God forever (John 14:1-3).
