God Is Good

1 Chronicles 16:34

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

This psalm of praise is a theme throughout the Old Testament. In times of celebration and in times of crisis, God's people are encouraged to remember that God is good and His steadfast love endures forever.

The future is unknown. We are flying into the darkness at the speed of light. We are bumping into obstacles and experiencing surprise and pain. How can we keep from panic? How can we avoid depression and despair?

The answer is hope.

Right now we can only see one glob of paint on the canvas and it is so close to us that it is not even attractive. But this is a work in progress. There is a painter at work who is competent and careful. He will add other colors, use different brushes and keep working until the whole picture is complete. Then we will stand back with him and see the whole. Then we will appreciate the beauty of his plan.

We must have hope that life is not random. The work we do, the relationships we have, the trials we face are all part of a meaningful pattern that we will appreciate when we can see it from the right perspective. 

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

We trust in the God who has revealed himself in the Bible. Our hope is in him. We can't see the whole picture, but we know about the painter. He is good and his steadfast love endures forever.