Did you ever think about the phrase, "God is good?"
Obviously, it means that God is good. That's about as simple as it gets. But what does that mean exactly? Obviously, it's going to mean that whatever God is, he's good. He died for us, he keeps us from eternal harm, he plans out a good future for us, he gives us a way to heaven.
That much you can figure out from any church. Well, most churches. I hope they're telling you that stuff. It's in the Bible. (I double-checked. It's definately in the Bible. Romans 8. Most of the Psalms. All the crazy awesome stuff Jesus did in the Gospels. There's more. But it might include the whole Bible. So I'm not gonna include everything right now.)
But something that is not always made obvious is the other side of that God-is-good-coin. And that is that good is God.
Alright, before you start throwing waffles at me for saying something weird, I will explain. If it is still weird, then you may throw waffles at me.
You see, the Bible makes it very clear that God is good. And that good things come from God. All good things, actually.
I mean, I think most people know that. God likes it when we do good things like teach Sunday School and feed orphans and go to church.
But what I don't think we always realize is that all good is from God. Those funny jokes my friend always makes - those are good. And that good is straight from God. That lovely dress I love to wear, its good is from God. The goodness in that really, really, ridiculously delicious cookie I ate is from God.
Batman's awesomeness - it comes from God.
The fun in dancing - that comes from God.
Laughter - of God.
Colors - of God.
Warm, snuggly blanket - of God.
Job working in a factory building Etch-a-Sketches - of God.
You're probably starting to get the drift. The goodness in all of it, whether the hugeness of feeding starving African orphans or the ordinary deliciousness of a cookie, is all from God.
Whaaaaaaaaaaaat? Awesome, riiiiiiiiight?
We get this idea that if there isn't a Jesus logo or cross bumber sticker on it, it must not be about God. But everywhere there is good, God is making himself known! You enjoy that cookie - bam, you're enjoying the goodness of God. You enjoy that movie - bam, you're enjoying the goodness of God. You laugh at the face your little sister makes when she farts - bam, you're enjoying the goodness of God.
But we get to take it even further than that! Because that goodness not only comes directly from God, but he has purposely placed it there and in your life. So not only are you enjoying the wonderful aspects of your Heavenly Creator and Savior, but he is also intentionally giving you a gift.
TO YOU. A GIFT. FROM GOD.
First, wrap your head around that. The Creator and Runner and Awesomeness of everything just intentionally gave you a cookie. Or something that you enjoy the heck out of.
Now, imagine this. Not only is God purposefully giving it to you, but he is overjoyed with such a prospect. He's not just thinking, "Oh, I have some cookies, I'll give one to that person." He's so freaking excited!! You're sitting there eating that cookie, and God is jumping up and down in his seat, so excited for you to eat that delicious cookie he gave you.
The Creator and Runner and Awesomeness of the everything is jumping up and down with excitement because he gets to give you a delicious cookie. Or a beautiful dress. Or a great joke.
YOU. AND GOD.
Enjoying that cookie. Together. Because The Creator and Runner and Awesomeness of everything loves you that. much.
Now, one thing I will add here. We have gluttony, and materialism, and... whatever sin is associated with too much joking. If the good in that comes from God, why do we have such awful pits we fall into?
Sin warps things. Sin, at its best, is just warping the good God offers into something bad. Gluttony. Materialism. Adultery. They started as something good that God created, but sin turned it into something wrong.
You see, that goodness, it's just a means to an end. It's a small piece of the goodness of God. It reveals just one more piece of God's goodness. When we glutton and material-ize and adult (I made those words up. In case you didn't notice.), we make that goodness the end, instead of the means. We start reaching for the piece of goodness, instead of the God who is giving it to us.
God is good. Think of all the goodness of a cookie and a dress and a movie and everything else you could ever think of, and then multiply it by seventy-billion-google-infinity-a-thousand.
If you can comprehend that, you'll have just a hint at how good God is.
And this whole idea began with a cookie.
No comments:
Post a Comment