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READ: PSALMS 23:5-6; 34:8; HABAKKUK 3:17-19; JAMES 1:17\n\n\n\nIn the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice!He has given Life to me\u2014His sinless sacrifice set me free.In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice!In the grave His body lay\u2014Sin\u2019s ransom fully paid.In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice!On the third day Hell did weep\u2014Death\u2019s final, dark defeat!In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice!May His grace be ever praised,Oh, the glory of His ways!In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice!In the goodness of the Lord I will rejoice!\n\n\n\nWhat comes to mind when you hear the words: \u201cGod\u2019s goodness\u201d? If I\u2019m honest, I think of the times that God helps me out when I\u2019m in trouble. Especially if the problem was brought on by\u2026uh, dubious choices of my own! Don\u2019t get me wrong\u2014 thanking God for His help in times of trouble is good. But in the Scriptures that inspired this poem, I noticed that God\u2019s Word portrays His goodness as far more than His kindness or help in trouble\u2014though it is that!\n\n\n\nGod\u2019s goodness is a part of His very nature (Exodus 33:19; Psalm 34:8). It is evidence of His unceasing, divine work on our behalf\u2014recrafting and redeeming all things for our ultimate deliverance from sin and all its effects. His goodness is His presence experienced in the midst of pain\u2014or His restraint when we desire vengeance. It is His relentless, pure, and undying love\u2014which is displayed on the cross: God in flesh, dying to conquer sin and rising again to restore all that was broken, shamed, or lost. God\u2019s goodness is the glory of this redemption. And glimpses of His goodness lie in every beautiful thing we experience\u2014made not only to draw us to Him, but to delight in through all eternity. Therefore, let us say with the psalmist: \u201cGive thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever\u201d (Psalm 118:1). \u2022 G. Kam Congleton\n\n\n\n\u2022 As you read today\u2019s Scriptures, what are some ways you notice God\u2019s goodness portrayed? Consider taking a moment to praise God for His goodness to you personally, and ask Him to help you recognize the ways His goodness is made real to you. You could even write a letter, poem, or song to God, thanking Him for some of the ways you see His goodness in your life.\n\n\n\n\u201c\u2026may your faithful people rejoice in your goodness.\u201d 2 Chronicles 6:41b (NIV)