Do You Believe God Is Good?

October 02, 2022

By Brooke Holt

“Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” The Collect, Book of Common Prayer

Do you believe God is good, truly good, not just for others but also for you? This is an important question to ponder. Your view of God impacts every aspect of your life. If you do not believe God is good, why would you trust in him and surrender every aspect of your life to him?

The prayer for today begins with the posture of trust that God is good, good in every way, and is good toward you. In fact, he is so good that he is always ready to receive your prayers. He is even more ready to hear than you are to pray. And God is so good that he loves to pour out his blessings upon you, even those you don’t feel worthy to receive.

God is good even when you have sinned against him and again failed to obey. The merits of Jesus (his work on the cross) cancel out your sin and the consequences of that sin. Jesus forgives, cleanses you, and mediates your case before the Father. In his steadfast love for you, he presents you to his Father as his holy and beloved bride. God is so good that you simply cannot out sin his mercy.

Maybe you are struggling today to receive and believe this goodness of God for you. That is okay. The Holy Spirit within you knows how to intercede for you and bring healing to those places of doubt and despair.

Jesus has made you worthy to stand before the Father, to receive all the good blessings he has planned for you, and to bring abundant healing to your heart, mind, and soul. Will you join in this prayer of The Collect today with open hands and an open heart? Truly, God is more ready to give than you are to receive.

Reflection:

What do these words stir in you today? Are you willing to come with open hands and an open heart to the Lord, asking him to teach you to trust in his goodness, mercy, and love? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

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Let's face it, the Christian life is hard. Relationships take work. Christians forget. Sometimes it is tempting to go back to the days when God was not the center of our lives - to backslide. We are all faced with tremendous pressures to drift away from intimacy with Jesus and the community of the Church. However, the Lord invites us to pay attention, to move forward, to draw near, and to live lives of worship. Draw Near: Hebrews on Christian Worship is a small group Bible study on the Book of Hebrews intended to lead participants into a deeper intimacy with the living God in the context of New Testament worship. Draw nearer to God in authentic worship today!