Devotional for February 2015
“Oh how great is thy goodness — which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! (20) Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man; thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion — from the strife of tongues.” [Ps.31:19-20]
That which is being communicated here — from this portion of Ps.31 — concerns an attribute of God — His abundant Goodness. God’s Goodness has been, and is being reserved for — and completely worked out — in all of God’s eternally saved ones. This text is describing, in particular, the Goodness that the Lord is for all those that fear Him and that trust in Him — as they live and walk with Him — before this fallen world. They — their very lives — are living testimonies of God’s great Goodness.
According to Ga.5:22, God’s Goodness is a part of the holy fruit of God the Holy Spirit who quickens us and dwells in us and guides us through this world. Rom.2:4 declares that it is “the Goodness of God that leadeth thee to repentance”. True repentance is, itself, a distinguishing grace that our Lord bestows upon His loved and chosen unto eternal salvation. It is as essential to our regeneration and conversion as is the grace of faith. With faith — “of the operation of God” [Col.2:12] — we lovingly embrace the Lord Jesus Christ as our righteousness — our hope — our peace — and our everlasting Savior unto eternal life. Whereas, with repentance — as having been graciously “granted” unto us by God [Ac.11:18] — we are made aware that we are sinners before holy and almighty God, and we are turned from our sin unto Him [Ac.20:21]. All of this is performed — not according to any Goodness in us [Ro.3:12] but completely and solely by the holy Goodness of God!
This is why the Psalmist says: “Remember not the sins of my youth — nor my transgressions — according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy Goodness sake, O Lord.” [25:7] And: “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest — and causest to approach unto thee — that he may dwell in thy courts! We shall be satisfied with the Goodness of thy house — even of thy holy temple.” [65:4] And again: “My Goodness, and my fortress; my high tower and my deliverer; my shield, and He in whom I trust…” [144:2]
Isaiah prophesied concerning all the true children of God: “I will mention the loving-kindness of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us — and the great Goodness toward the house of Israel — which He hath bestowed on them according to His mercies and according to the multitude of His loving-kindnesses!” [Is.63:7]
Even so, we should be in constant prayer for one another according to the example of the apostle Paul as written in 2Th.1:11: “Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His Goodness and the work of faith with power.” Amen
For Christ’s Glory Only!
-John Carpenter
“Oh that men would praise the Lord for His Goodness
and His wonderful works to the children of men!” Ps.107
