God was so good (insert positive situation)

We hear it all the time, right? 

We hear of children being born, career advancement, physical healing, a good grade on a test, travel safety, a marriage union, answer to prayer...followed by "God was so good." The most personally beneficial, 'best', and happiest moments of our lives get that tag. Of course they do! They should. That's an accurate conclusion.

But it's incomplete. 

God's goodness is sourced in something much deeper than our perception of His activity.

And we should breathe a huge sigh of relief over that. Because if He was only good because of the favorable things He does for us, what happens when He does or allows something that, to our human understanding, is...bad? When God allows beloved family members to die unexpectedly. When He allows close friends to wither away with cancer. When He keeps people single or allows a difficult marriage. When there's disability or a job ends before another begins. When He gives a thorn in the flesh. 

There will be times when what is happening in our lives cannot be quantified as good. There will be no mental gymnastics flexible enough to bear the weight of those trials. It will fall beyond our human ability to call something good. Beyond our human comprehension that it could be. 

So how can Job observe God's hand behind the unraveling of his life, and in the same breath bless Him? How can Mary comprehend the possible social repercussions of her pregnancy and respond with "My soul magnifies the Lord"? I mean, what is Paul thinking when he surrounds his debilitating thorn in the flesh with words like "pleasure," "power" and "glory?" How can David, God's chosen ruler, pen "Be thou exalted, O God, above the Heavens" huddled in a cave hiding from the current, wacko king who's bent on chopping his head off? And then there's Hosea: commanded by God to marry a harlot and told in advance that she will be unfaithful. Yet every chapter he authors circles back to God's steadfast loving kindness. 

I think I know why. These Biblical characters knew we don't have to look to how God's activity appears as the foundation for our trust. We have to know Who He is to trust. They looked beyond the doing to who's hand was doing the doing. It's the hand of Yahweh. And from front to back, our Bibles declare Him good. That's what led these people to such thrilling and active displays of faith and trust. They were not evaluating God's goodness on how favorable His activity was for them, but on His revealed character. Which led them in the what-seems-very-bad to say 'God is very good.'

A good God will work only good in our lives. That's true. But we are not called to comprehend that good. We are called to taste and see that GOD is good. To believe what His Word says about Him. There's a whole lot of freedom in that truth. It takes the pressure off of us to figure it out. It provides a sure band of stability when faced with circumstances that do not seem in our favor. And it frees our hearts and tongues to cry out in every season and situation of life:

God is so good. 

Beth

so shine

We'd balance all rickety on the garage step railing, and stretch full out to grasp the swinging pull. Then with one yank the ladder'd whoosh down; laying bare a pitch-black rectangle of adventure and mystery. An ebony vortex to a foreign world straight over our heads. 

Known to the less exotic-minded as our attic. 

I'd climb the rungs all shaky determination, then feel for the plywood boards of the small square floor. This is important, for to step one way was to set foot on solid board. To step the other way? A free-fall through mushy insulation straight into the boiling pot of water on our kitchen stove (or so I supposed.) Dangerous things happen when there is no light. 

Once on the gritty boards, we'd rest a bit. Coughing thin dust, brushing cobwebs from our hair... It was eery not seeing your hand in front of you and bumping into strange nobs and hard edges of unseen things...Fear and uncertainty breed in the dark. 

Those few moments were brief, but long enough for us to imagine all sorts of craggy-toothed creatures, and slithering sensations about our feet. The back of my neck would crinkle. Goosebumps spread like the plague. Deception thrives where it's pitch-black. 

Then, with a flick of a flashlight, everything changed. A world of wonder stacked rafter-high all around us. There was the old-fashioned typewriter. The massive painting of Jesus knocking at an old wooden door (three cheers for parsonage life.) Stacked to one side were retired, velvet collection bags, rusted nursery toys, communion schmuck-a-schmuck. In another corner, our winter sleds mingled with dusty hymnals. In other words, plenty to keep us amused until the contents of that boiling pot below were ready for dinner. 

Light made all the difference.

Light changed everything.
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You are the light of the world. 

You, who have believed on Jesus Christ. Who have been translated from the kingdom of darkness. You are the light in this pitch-black world of danger, fear, uncertainty, and deception. And (hang with me here) if we are the light, and we cannot be seen, the world will not have light.

A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

A practical, profound observation. Light that's high-up is hard to cover-up. So make your life plainly visible in this dark world. Set it where all can see. As the traveling eye cannot miss a glowing city in the falling dusk, make yourself obvious to all who are looking. 

Nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lamp stand. 

What foolishness! To hide light in the dark! To dampen its effect. What folly. And a covered flame will do damage to itself and all that it contacts. It must be set apart: distinct from its surroundings to fulfill its purpose. Hide it under a bushel? No! Of course not. Let it shine. 

And it gives light to all who are in the house. 

When the light is clearly visible, it does what it's intended to do. It provides for the understanding, safety, and good of all who see it. It dispels deceitful shadows and makes what is true clearly seen. Fear and uncertainty have no place in its warm glow. And all who are in the area cannot help but reap its benefits. 

Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in Heaven. 

So, how do we shine in this world? Bizarre clothing? Continuous street preaching? A strict, unusual diet? A visible tattoo? An old-timey way of life? Christ anticipates this question. We shine by doing good works. A public display of good. To all that come in contact with us. And this phrase 'good works' is generic. It's a wide open free-for-all. What good do you want to do? What good can you do? What good has God fit you for? Shine that way. 

And in this passage, there's only one response this world will have: glorifying our Heavenly Father. I don't know what that will look like, but I like to imagine it. I like to imagine my good works would lead to giving a reason for the hope within me to an inquiring stranger: giving more Gospel light to those responding to the light they have. Or a prayer of belief pouring from an unsaved coworker. Or fellow Christians praising God as they see me doing what is only possible by Divine grace...
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The Son of God came into a world that was sitting stone-blind in darkness. Like a dayspring He came; a Divine sunrise beaming into our night. A light to guide our steps into peace with God. He is the true light. And His good works run the spectrum of gentle words to physical healing. He allows children to crowd His lap. He boldly decries religious heresy. He lets the weak and imperfect minister to Him. He's continually making Himself poor-- burning Himself low-- that those nearest Him might know the riches of His salvation. In every Gospel chapter you see Him doing, saying, and teaching good. And the glory brought the Father by the work of Calvary? Countless millions bear witness of that. My voice straining to be the loudest. 

So shine.

Beth