PERSPECTIVE
Moses said, "Please show me Your glory." And He said, "I will make all My goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you My name 'The LORD.' And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”
Exodus 33:18-19 (ESV)
A few years ago, my family experienced a miraculous answer to an outpouring of prayers, and the words God is so good effortlessly surged from my soul. But soon I started to wonder, what if the situation went the other way? What if God didn’t answer in alignment with my definition of good? Would I so passionately declare His goodness? Oh, I pray so. That, however, requires understanding God’s goodness, which runs far deeper than positive outcomes and favorable circumstances. Of course, God deserves adoration and praise for His goodness and grace in fruitful seasons when our hearts bubble with gladness, but God is not more good when things go right and less good when things go wrong.
God is good because His very nature is good. When Moses asked to see God’s glory, God responded by displaying His goodness and proclaiming His name. God could have chosen anything to display His glory to Moses, but He chose goodness so that Moses’ first understanding of God was that He is good. His glory lies in His goodness. All other aspects of His character, such as His power, justice, mercy and grace, flow out of this goodness.
This encounter gave Moses the right perspective of God. He understood both the awesome glory and the supreme goodness of God’s nature. This perspective is critical for us to grasp today in order to protect our intimacy with God during circumstances that we consider not so good. Our feelings, opinions and situations don’t determine God’s goodness. Even in the things we consider not so good, He remains good and is working out His plans for His glory and our good.
APPLICATION: What measure have you been using to gauge God’s goodness, and how has that impacted your relationship with God?
PRAYER: God, You are good, and You do good (Psalm 119:68). Help me maintain this perspective of You no matter what is happening around me. Amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?