Let us hope in God’s goodness.
No doubt about it! God is good—
good to good people, good to the good-hearted.
Psalm 73:1 (MSG)
Once upon a time…
These four words conjure up ideas of good and evil, love and jealousy, conflict and victory, sorrow and hope. A tale of happily ever after.
And yet, this life seems to bring only the evil, the jealousy, the conflict, the sorrow. No good, no love, no victory, no hope. No happily ever after.
But God is good. He is a God of goodness. Of love. Of victory. Of hope. He is a God of the happily ever after.
If we don’t see it, its because the story isn’t finished yet.
He is the Author. He is the Creator. He created. And it was good. He planted a garden. And it was good. He placed man in the garden. And it was good.
But jealousy appeared. A creature with evil intentions. Telling lies. Bringing conflict into a place of peace. Sowing discord and ultimately sorrow. The story took a turn for the worse and the ending seemed to have no hope.
But God.
God had a plan. A story. A happily ever after. He was not surprised by the unexpected turn in the plot. He was not shocked when evil, disobedience and sin showed up in paradise. Because He knows where these things abound, His grace abounds all the more. When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. Where evil increases, God’s grace surpasses it every time.
As the history of man unfolds in Scripture, we see God’s grace, His redeeming love, His plan of perfect redemption and restoration.
Before the beginning, He had already begun to weave His promises into the story. From the beginning, He promised One who would come and “bruise” the enemy. Throughout the story, God provided glimpses of the One to come.
He chose a man. A family. A people. He guided them. He instructed them. He rescued them from captivity. He led them through the desert. He brought them into his promised land. He drove out the enemy before them.
Ah but the problem of wandering hearts. Straying affections. They left their first love. They believed the lies once again. They allowed the enemy to sow discord and ultimately sorrow.
But God was relentless. He would not be deterred. He made a way, where there seemed to be no way.
He dealt with the issue of the heart. He promised a Son. A king. A sacrifice for their sin. One who would defeat the enemy.
When the time was right, when the stage was set, as the suspense mounted, He appeared. In his redeeming love, God sent the Victor. The Savior. The valiant, humble prince. Who paid the price. Slew the dragon. Defeated the enemy. And conquered death.
God writes a story that unfolds even now. His grace abounds. He promises a wedding feast. Another garden. A happily ever after.
Because he is good.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, you are good. You have a plan, a story. To create in us new hearts. Good-hearted hearts. Regardless of how the story looks right now, I will trust in your relentless, redeeming love and eagerly anticipate your happily ever after. Amen.
Grace and Peace
tablets of human hearts 