How good Thou art!

The Word for today:
Psalm 73

I used to be impressed by God's greatness.  And I still am.

But God's goodness is even greater.

Great is a word that sets off fireworks.  It's about remarkable things, big things.  God's creation is great--the great mountains and seas, the limitless universe, the depthless delights of color and light.

But great doesn't hold my hand when I am confused about today and afraid for tomorrow.  Great never got me through the night.

Good is a commonplace word.  Good things warm the heart, while great things set the heart aflame.  Perhaps I'm slowing down, but you can keep the blowtorch if you'll just lend me your lantern.

Psalm 73 starts this way:
Surely God is good.
It winds down this way:
It is good to be near God.
Its final line--
I will tell of all your deeds--
has become the desire and promise and prayer of my own heart.

I used to pray that I would be able to express the greatness of God.  But the closer I get to him, the more I realize that his greatness did not take him to the cross.

His unfailing, never-ending goodness took him there.  And so I've changed my prayer.  Now I ask to be able to express the goodness of God. 

Now sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
"How good Thou art, How good Thou art!"

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