God is good! Whether he answers your prayer or not.

A tumor is benign and treatable. God is good. A believer friend received a long overdue promotion and salary increase. God is good. The church baptized forty seven people at the lake last Saturday. God is good. We surpassed our Lottie Moon Christmas Offering goal by $3,000. God is good. Our car broke down on the way to visit my parents but it was something minor and only cost $57. God is good. Margaret Jo was invited to the prom by the nicest young man, a Christian too. God is good!

It's the language of pop religion, reciting "God is good" with every other breath. In a sense it's a blessing to hear so many talking about his goodness. To have the name of God on so many lips must be a reflection of something noteworthy sweeping through our culture. Certainly, God is good. But, his goodness is beyond our wishes, most fervent prayer requests, and best moments in life. His goodness is a statement and confession of his character, something that exceeds our daily needs or requirements. To speak of his goodness apart from the our worship of him for who he is, may be a way to trivialize him. He is good because he is good.

The second Psalm I learned as a Beginner way back when was a confession of his goodness. Psalm 100 is truly a song of praise. We are instructed to praise him because of his works in our lives, what he has done, and because of his character, who he is. So, often worship and praise become perfunctory in life because the second element is overlooked. What he does is obvious even to unbelievers. But, who he is constitutes the relationship that he established with his people. HIs goodness is what we know of him beyond the wonderful ways he blesses us.

This Lord's Day, take a moment and let these wonderful words wash over you.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!

Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his:

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!

Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever and his

faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 100, ESV

He's good all the time.