God is so good

Romans 2:4--Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can't you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? (NLT)

     Many, sadly miss this amazing truth...God is so good!!!  We tend to focus on getting the short end of the stick or being treated unfairly, and we overlook the fact that God is so good, He does not give us what we deserve.  Instead of hell, He gives us heaven.  Instead of suffering and shame, He gives us grace and glory.  Instead of malice, He grants us mercy.  My hope is that you will come to understand how good God is, and never cease to praise Him for such goodness.  May His praise continually be on our lips.

     Kindness/Goodness.  Titus 3:3-5 says, "For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit..."  Everyone of us have lived a life of serving our own lusts and pleasures.  We have been disobedient and hateful, deserving of damnation.  But, God did not give us that as our only option.  Our actions merited hell, but through His kindness, he offered us salvation.  Never forget that your eternal blessing was secured by His goodness, not yours.

     Tolerant/Forbearing.  Romans 3:25 says, "whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed."  When a catastrophic event occurs in the world, often times the question is asked, "How can a loving God allow such terrible things to occur?"  Maybe this is the wrong question to ask.  Maybe we should be asking, "Why aren't more terrible things occurring, because we are sinful people, spitting in the face of a righteous God?"  We must understand that we are not good people, we do not deserve peace and comfort.  God is tolerant and merciful, for a time; but judgment will come.  As Acts 17:30 tells us, "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent..."

     Patient/Longsuffering.  II Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."  God desires none to perish, no matter the sin they committed, but that they all come to repentance.  We should be forever grateful that God was patiently working in us to draw us to Himself, not leaving us to destruction.  May we praise Him for His patience with us still.

     May His goodness lead you to repentance.