Our next study, “Our God Who Pursues: Guiding Us Back to Him,” starts on March 3rd! Stay tuned for more details in the coming days – but for the remainder of February, we will be focusing on Love. Short and sweet treasures from some of my favorite bloggers and teachers/authors I follow. As always, I appreciate your feedback and welcome any questions. – 🦋
The first week of this two-week break between studies is from Michele Morin. I find myself encouraged by her words and her heart for God and her family. If you haven’t followed her from one of my past posts, I encourage you to do so. Today’s post is from five years back, during the season leading up to Easter – but it is fitting for everyday wisdom and living when our goal is to live and love like Jesus.
Father, You are Good – To define it is sometimes difficult – because it is simply and yet profoundly who You are – GOOD! Teach me to know Your goodness – to see it, and hear it, and sense it, and to walk in it, and share it all of my days. For You desire it in me and by Your Spirit have equipped me for it.
Even as I asked this of You – to teach me to know Your Goodness – I lay down my pen and begin to read from my “One Thousand Gifts” devotional and you meet me there on the page revealing Your goodness in Your intimacy with me – for there on the page I read: “Augustine had asked two questions of the world: ‘If there is no God, why is there so much good? If there is a God, why is there so much evil?'” … I continue to read, and line upon line alludes to Your goodness. I asked, and You begin to answer – and even Your beginning – it is Good. “All this good makes me grateful, and my own heart needs this – A filling of His great-fullness. Gratefulness is always to someone, and when I am grateful, isn’t it always evidence of God? – A filling of awe of His goodness.” I turned the page, and there it was – the ultimate expression – just what I began this prayer with – Your answer to me – “There are things that need no words. HIS LOVE clearly manifest in the everywhere problem of GOOD.”
WOW God! and I echo the prayer Ann pens at the bottom of the page – “… in a world that faces the very real problem of evil, may I face it everywhere today – the very real proof of good.” And Father, may I – in seeing it and hearing it and sensing it – may I then be given words that are fitting to proclaim it! Your goodness begs to be proclaimed!
As I drove to work, You continued to answer by opening my senses to the bulging river, green trees, the fresh air, the donkey and the kid (goat) – I love seeing them – it is the simple things that make me smile. And again, my soul echoes – You are Good!
A text from a loved one, desperate for peace – and in Your infinite goodness, you whisper a line from an old hymn – “Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard His children, In His arms He carries them all day long.”
If you struggle to define it, consider CeCe Winans’ song, Goodness of God, (one of my favorites) … “His mercies never fail us … He leads us through the fire … He is both Father and Friend ...”
I love You, Lord For Your mercy never fails me All my days, I’ve been held in Your hands From the moment that I wake up Until I lay my head Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God
‘Cause all my life You have been faithful And 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
I love Your voice You have led me through the fire In darkest night You are close like no other I’ve known You as a Father I’ve known You as a Friend And I have lived in the goodness of God1 ~
Me From the Inside Out 