In January, I left the babes at home to trek one town over and peek at a used SUV. We had been looking for weeks, anticipating baby girl’s arrival and needing to upgrade our car space. But the back wasn’t wide enough for three car seats and there was a faint smell of old cigarette smoke hanging in the air. For a moment, I’m disappointed. Frustrated, even, But I point my mid-sized SUV back home and turn on some music. Very soon, the chorus played, my heart swelled in response.
All my life, You have been faithful
All my life, You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God
That goodness-word? It hung in the air – a much sweeter smell than the stale, old smoke I left behind in someone else’s car. It stuck with me as I returned home, into the next day. And the day after that. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, my spirit recited the Psalm 23:6 words by heart in response. And as it did, the Spirit of God whispered back: I am your rear-guard. And so it was that I began to dig into the goodness of God. And do you know what I found?
His goodness is everywhere
The Bible begins with it – right there in Genesis 1 and all of the creating and making and let-there-be’s. It was all good, created purely out of God’s goodness. And the Bible also ends with it. No, not outrightly, but if squint your eyes and look through the lens of Exodus 33, you’ll see it.
“The city had no need of the sun or the moon to shine in it,” Revelation 21:23 reads, “for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.” And, speaking of glory, remember when Moses begged God to see it? Back there in Exodus 33, Moses cried: “Please, God, show me Your glory.” And do you remember how God responded? “I will make all My goodness pass before you,” He said. So, if God’s glory is manifested in His goodness, it’s safe to assume that the Revelation 21:23 light is shining straight from the heart of His glory-goodness.
I dug, and I dug, and I dug. Through a dozen different cross-references, zigzagging all throughout the Old Testament, the Spirit of God began stitching together a goodness-narrative. One that took the Angel of the Lord (which represented a temporary, physical manifestation of the presence of God) and clothed Him with His goodness.
I recently pieced it all together live on Instagram – you can listen to it here:
Of course, you know what comes next: I don’t want you to ever just take my word for it. I want you to take His Word for it.
grab your Bible, prayer journal
and a favorite pen
You’re about to see the treasure-trail of God’s goodness with your own two eyes. And I cannot wait for the lightbulb to go off for you the same way that it did for me!
Get the listening guide right here:
Such an encouraging study!