I was having a conversation with our daughter Rebekah this week, and she was sharing how she had been telling some people about some of the things she had seen and heard of God doing.
One of the young people speaking to her said, “well why does God give people cancer? ”My daughter replied emphatically and without a moment’s hesitation, “he doesn’t”. “The devil does!” “Why would Jesus come and heal the sick, raise the dead, open blind eyes and deaf ears if he was in the business of giving someone cancer?” Oh they replied, “that’s a good point!”
Rebekah then continued to share about God’s goodness, provision, power and some of the miracles she personally had seen and heard about. Essentially she was doing exactly what Jesus asked all of us to do when he said, “you shall be my witnesses”. Put simply a witness is someone who just tells of what they have seen and heard. If they’ve seen God doing something, they tell others about it. If they’ve heard of God doing something they tell others!
“So he (Jesus) replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. (Luke 7:22)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Rebekah had a few real life stories to tell, as we as a family have experienced for ourselves, and seen and heard of God’s goodness. From money and food multiplying, healings, legs growing, wounds being instantly healed, joints and muscles being restored, tumours disappearing, people’s organs regrowing, deaf ears opening, babies being born with no drugs and no pain, heavenly and angelic encounters, people being set free from past emotional hurts and strongholds, experiencing divine favour, and answered prayer.
Sadly, however there are many people that don’t know that God is good, and that He is still actively doing all these things. That miracles are happening every day, everywhere, all around them. It’s just that nobody has bothered to tell them! They don’t attribute good things happening as anything to do with God, and instead label Him as the orchestrator of disasters, sickness, lack etc. Haven’t you ever wondered why a freak storm, fire, or hurricane is labelled “an act of God?” Yet wasn’t it Jesus who silenced the storm, and the crashing waves and gale force winds. Wasn’t it Him that said, “be silent and still”, and promptly rebuked his friends for not taking authority over the storm themselves? (Mark 4:35-41)
God is good, and He is good all the time. And He actually does want to release and cover our whole life with His goodness. He wants us to know how much we are loved, and accepted. He sees us. He sees our hopes and dreams, our hurts and disappointments, and He is interested in it all.
God wants us to draw close to Him, and to have a friendship with Him, so that we will know that He is good. And then He really, really wants us to go out and show and tell someone else.
Today, if you haven’t experienced or know God’s goodness for yourself, I encourage you to draw near to God; seek Him and His goodness out for yourself. He promises that if you do that with your whole heart, you will find Him, and discover His love, goodness, acceptance, forgiveness, provision, and miracle working healing power for yourself.
“Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. ‘I will be found by you.” (Jeremiah 29:12-13)
If today you do know and have experienced how good God is, why not make a list of all the times you can think of, and remember how and when God has shown His goodness to you or others you know. Whether it’s the assurance of knowing Him, or answered prayer; where you have been healed or set free, or just have a peace and joy you didn’t have before, write it down today so you don’t forget. Then go and tell someone else that God is good, and He wants to reveal His goodness to them too.
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (1 John 3:1)
Prayer: Lord thank you for your love and goodness. Please help me to know that goodness for myself, and to remember the times where you have done something wonderful for me that I may or may not have attributed to you. Then, please help me to tell someone else about your goodness today. In Jesus name. Amen.
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