The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe
(For Ellie)
"Four Words"
Four one syllable words - "the Lord is good" - occur seven times in the Old Testament of the Bible. Born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ affirm their truth with all our hearts, while knowing that even eternity will not allow our full discovery of the glory and meaning.
One passage in the New Testament - one among many, actually - particularly rings with the glory of God's goodness:
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace ye are saved, And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:4-10).
Moses asked to see God's glory. The Lord responded, "I will make all My goodness pass before thee" (Exodus 33:19). Certainly, "glory" can be defined in countless ways. However, the most direct Biblical affirmation is found in this declaration of character and nature of goodness. Who our Lord is in heart most declares His essence, disposition, and way, revealing why the first command to us involves our hearts' primary reason for existence, namely, to respond to Him in kind:
"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment" (Mark 12:30).
"We love Him because He first loved us" (I John 4:19).
Such consideration ever and always leads us to Calvary. There, amid the blackest depths of all darkness, the light of "the Lord is good" shined most brightly. For His enemies, God smote His beloved Son with untold sorrow, agony, grief, forsakenness, and death (Romans 5:10). The Lord Jesus willingly gave Himself to the wrath of divine judgment against unrighteousness, bearing our sins, and in a mystery never to be understood by human minds, "made to be sin for us" (I Peter 2:24; II Corinthians 5:21). The Lord is good? With all due respect to His perfect and wondrous Word, how does this even begin to say it as it could and should be said?
As our Heavenly Father so often does, His gifts come to us in ways inconspicuous and seemingly insignificant, but which glimmer with eternally consequential glory. Four words. The Lord is good. Four words that will require forever to even begin discovery of their meaning and impact on our existence. Thankfully, for believers, the journey has begun and continues in this day. How will our Lord reveal to us His goodness before we lay our heads to rest tonight? We shall see, as we believe (Matthew 8:13). May we all join Moses - "Show me Thy glory." Doubtless, our Father will joyfully respond, "I will make all My goodness pass before Thee."
There is no end to the quest we know,
forever beckons on.
For we soar in skies so bright and blue,
above all clouds and storm.
Yes, we fly into the heart of God,
as in His Son we trust,
and earth will soon be nothing more
than long forgotten dust.
So spread your wings and catch the wind,
o journeyman of hope,
and race toward horizons blessed
with those who also know
That the quest of hearts is Jesus,
He is our shining sun,
it matters not how far we've come…
the Journey's just begun.
"The Lord is good."
(Psalm 34:8; Psalm 100:5; Psalm 135:3; Psalm 145:9; Jeremiah 33:11; Lamentations 3:25; Nahum 1:7)
Weekly Memory Verse
For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations.
(Psalm 100:5)
7752
