God is Good - All the Time
Introduction
Of all the prisons Pippa and I have visited around the world, this was the worst. It is in Lusaka, Zambia. The prison was built in 1950 for 250 men. Today it holds over 1,300. The cells, which were built to hold 50, are now home to over 150 men. They are locked in these cells from eight o’clock at night until eight o’clock in the morning. There isn’t enough room for all of them to lie down at the same time. They have to take it in turns. The stench and the heat in those cells must be almost unbearable. If the prisoners do not have AIDS or tuberculosis when they enter the prison, they are likely to become infected soon after.
The cells surround a courtyard, which is at the centre of the prison. We held a service there. Maybe because there was nothing else to do, virtually every one of the inmates attended. The service was led by a man who had been awaiting trial for four years. He was a Christian pastor who was accused of some minor offence (for which the penalty in England would probably have been a small fine, had he been convicted). Though he may well have been innocent, this man had been languishing in a prison for four years, unconvicted, without trial, not knowing when he would be released – if ever.
I will never forget his opening words as he began to lead the service: ‘God is good – all the time.’ Here was a man who had absolute confidence in the goodness of God, not because of his circumstances but in spite of them. He knew and had experienced the goodness of God in the midst of great suffering. As a result, even though he found himself in the appalling conditions of this prison, he followed Jesus’ example and ‘went around doing good’ (Acts 10:38).
As John Wesley said, ‘Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.’
Psalm 35:19–28
19 Do not let those gloat over me
who are my enemies without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason
maliciously wink the eye.
20 They do not speak peaceably,
but devise false accusations
against those who live quietly in the land.
22 LORD, you have seen this; do not be silent.
Do not be far from me, Lord.
23 Awake, and rise to my defense!
Contend for me, my God and Lord.
24 Vindicate me in your righteousness, LORD my God;
do not let them gloat over me.
26 May all who gloat over my distress
be put to shame and confusion…
27 May those who delight in my vindication
shout for joy and gladness;
may they always say, ‘The LORD be exalted,
who delights in the well-being of his servant.’
28 My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
your praises all day long.
Commentary
In all things God works for your good
Let’s be honest. Not everyone is good. Some people hate without reason and act maliciously (v.19).
There is a great contrast running through this passage between the difficulties that David is facing from those around him, and the goodness of God. The Message version brings out this contrast by using the word ‘good’ four times, but in very different contexts:
1. Beware the ‘no good’ crowd
There will be times in your life and in the life of your community when you come under attack from those who are ‘cooking up gossip’ (v.20, MSG). ‘They do not speak peaceably, but devise false accusations’ (v.20). David says, ‘No good is going to come from that crowd’ (v.20, MSG).
2. Having a ‘good time’ is not always good
David speaks of this crowd’s ‘good time’ (v.24, MSG). These people are having ‘a party at [David’s] expense’ (v.19, MSG). They hate him for no reason: ‘winking and rolling their eyes’ (v.19, MSG). They think they are having ‘a good time’ but, actually, what they are doing is not good.
3. God works everything for good
‘God is great – everything works together for good for his servant’ (v.27, MSG). God takes even the bad things that are done to you and are said about you and uses them for good: ‘In all things God works for the good of those who love him’ (Romans 8:28).
4. Tell the world how good God is
David ends this psalm by celebrating God’s goodness. He writes, ‘I’ll tell the world how great and good you are, I’ll shout Hallelujah all day, every day’ (Psalm 35:28, MSG).
Prayer
Luke 3:2–22
2 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar – when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea … the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
8 ‘Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father.” For I tell you out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The axe has been laid to the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and will be thrown in to the fire.’
10 ‘What should we do then?’ the crowd asked.
11 John answered, ‘Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.’
12 Even tax collectors came to be baptised. ‘Teacher,’ they asked, ‘what should we do?’
13 ‘Don’t collect any more than you are required to,’ he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, ‘And what should we do?’
He replied, ‘Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely – be content with your pay.’
15 The people… were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, ‘I baptise you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.’ 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.
21 When all the people were being baptised, Jesus was baptised too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’
Commentary
Goodness comes from repentance and the Holy Spirit
The good news is based on solid historical facts. This is no fairy story or myth. ‘In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea… the word of God came to John…’ (v.1-3)
People are sometimes surprised to see John’s message described as ‘good news’ (v.18) – it can seem very negative to us! Yet the word of God is always ‘good news’. The word of God came to John the Baptist in the desert (v.2b). It is a message of ‘repentance for the forgiveness of sins’ (v.3b). Repentance means changing your mind – turning away from sin and towards God. Repentance is good; it is liberating. It leads to freedom and forgiveness.
Repentance should lead to ‘good fruit’ (v.9). John the Baptist says, ‘Produce fruit in keeping with repentance’ (v.8). What is this ‘good fruit’? ‘Good fruit’ includes both social justice and personal morality. Interestingly the examples given all relate in some way to work and money. What does goodness look like?
1. Generosity
Those who can afford it should support those who can’t: ‘Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same’ (v.11).
2. Honesty
John tells the tax collector, ‘Don’t collect any more than you are required to’ (v.13).
3. Contentment
John tells the soldiers, ‘Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely – be content with your pay’ (v.14b).
John is not just a preacher of social righteousness. He says of Jesus, ‘He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire’ (v.16b). Fire symbolises purity (Numbers 11:1–3), power and passion. As Jesus prayed, ‘the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased”’ (Luke 3:21–22).
Goodness is one of the characteristics listed by St Paul as the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Through the Holy Spirit we experience God’s goodness. What God said to Jesus, he says to you:
1. Enjoy being a child of God
God says to Jesus, ‘You are my Son’ (Luke 3:22). Through Jesus you can call God ‘Father’. While Jesus’ sonship is unique, the apostle Paul writes that God ‘sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts’ (Galatians 4:6). You are given this same experience of being a child of God – by adoption. This experience is vital for your identity, confidence and security.
2. Experience God’s love
God says to Jesus, ‘You are my Son, whom I love’ (Luke 3:22). Now, as Paul writes, ‘God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us’ (Romans 5:5). The Holy Spirit gives you an experience of God’s goodness and love for you.
3. Expect God’s pleasure
God says to his son Jesus, ‘With you I am well pleased’ (Luke 3:22). When the Spirit of God dwells in you, your life becomes pleasing to him (Romans 8:8–9).
As you experience God’s love and goodness poured into your heart by the Holy Spirit, the good fruit of the Holy Spirit will grow.
Prayer
Numbers 9:16–17,10:29–32,11:1–3
9 16 That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire. 17 Whenever the cloud lifted from above the tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites set up camp.
10 29 Now Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, ‘We are setting out for the place about which the Lord said, “I will give it to you.” Come with us and we will treat you well, for the LORD has promised good things to Israel.’
32 ‘If you come with us, we will share with you whatever good things the LORD gives us.’
11 Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. 2 When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the LORD and the fire died down. 3 So that place was called Taberah, because fire from the LORD had burned among them.
Commentary
God has promised to give you good things
Moses told his father-in-law, ‘The Lord has promised good things’ (10:29). He urged him to come with them, ‘We will share with you whatever good things the Lord gives us’ (v.32).
Moses, together with God’s people, had experienced so much of God’s goodness. God had guided them with ‘cloud’ and ‘fire’ – symbolising his presence (9:16). This is but one example of the goodness that is seen throughout the history of the people of God.
Despite God’s goodness to them, his people ‘complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord’ (11:1). On another occasion in the wilderness they also grumbled about their leaders – Moses and Aaron (Exodus 16:2). Sometimes, when we forget the goodness God has shown us, we complain about our situation and can even blame our leaders. But wherever possible, leaders need our support and encouragement.
Remember God’s goodness to you, especially in Christ, who is the ‘high priest of the good things’ God gives (Hebrews 9:11). Complaining keeps you captive, whilst remembering God’s faithfulness sets you free. Praise, thanksgiving and worship are the antidote to complaining and grumbling.
Prayer
Pippa adds
In Numbers 11 it says:
‘… the people complained about their hardships… and [God’s] anger was aroused. Then fire from the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.’ (vv. 1–3)
I don’t think God likes complaining. It is quite a warning. And I must be more careful in future!
Verse of the Day
Psalm 35:27
‘The LORD... delights in the well-being of his servant.’ Psalm 35:27
Thought for the Day
‘Do all the good you can,
by all the means you can,
in all the ways you can,
in all the places you can,
at all the times you can,
to all the people you can,
as long as ever you can.’
– John Wesley
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References
The Bible with Nicky and Pippa Gumbel (commentary formerly known as Bible in One Year) ©Alpha International 2009. All Rights Reserved.
Compilation of daily Bible readings © Hodder & Stoughton Limited 1988. Published by Hodder & Stoughton Limited as the Bible in One Year.
Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version Anglicised, Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 Biblica, formerly International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, an Hachette UK company. All rights reserved. ‘NIV’ is a registered trademark of Biblica. UK trademark number 1448790.
Scripture quotations marked (AMP) taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)
Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message, copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.