Declare His Goodness

Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy. – Psalm 107:22 (NIV)

God is good all the time. He has said that He will never leave us nor forsake us. He is a faithful God, full of compassion and slow to anger. His love is steadfast and His mercies endure forever. We see His wondrous works in nature around us. We see His hand of protection in our lives. We see His timely intervention in our times of need. We may have unwittingly brushed some of these occasions aside as “coincidences”. They are not! Even when we cast lots, the final result is determined by Him.

He deserves our praise. His works deserve to be made known from generation to generation. He is good to all His creation. He keeps the whole earth in order, providing the four seasons, day and night, sunlight and moonlight, rain and wind. Most of all, He gave us the Gospel, which is the power of salvation to those who believe, for Jews and Gentiles alike.

What does God say about this?

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1:17 (NIV)

Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

Psalm 107: 8,9 (NIV)

Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

Luke 9:26 (NIV)

What does this mean for practical living?

We must declare God’s goodness to people around us so that they know that He is good, He is alive and He is relevant in our lives today and forever. We can learn about God’s goodness and experience it through different means. Study His Word. The Bible contains many accounts that demonstrate how God protects, saves, heals, delivers, leads, and fights for His people. Fill our hearts and minds with thoughts and memories of His goodness.

In our daily lives, He provides us with food, shelter, clothing, family, companionship and love within the body of Christ. We need to open our mouths to declare His goodness. How would people know unless we tell them? It is strange that while we are not shy to speak about how good a person or friend has been, we remain shy or perhaps somewhat ashamed to speak about how good our God is. Remember Jesus’ caution: If we are ashamed of Him and His Word in front of others, He will also be ashamed of us when He returns.

Reflect and respond to God’s Word

• Recall a specific situation in which God has been good to you. Prepare a concise script and use it as a conversational lead to share the gospel anytime, anywhere.
• What are the reasons that make you shy or somewhat reserved to declare God’s goodness in public?
• Identify opportunities in your daily life activities where you can declare God’s goodness to others, in conversation or in deed.