Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” Acts 14: 17, NKJV.
Gracious God, we thank You that Your goodness is manifested in many different ways. Please help us to recognize it and give You the thanks that You deserve. In the holy name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
I have said, on more than one occasion, that one of the greatest needs of Christians, is for us to find bance in our Christian experience – we tend to live at the extremes. I believe if there is an area where we could lose sight of this balance it is in the study of God’s goodness. Yesterday we saw that the goodness of God is present even in our affliction. Today, let us look at the other side of that coin.
Some Christians believe that poverty and suffering are badges of faithfulness. And that prosperity and abundance will separate us from God. Others believe that all Christians should be prosperous, and never have need of anything. Because I believe that both beliefs are extremist, I subscribe to none. So for a brief moment, let us consider what the apostle Paul is saying in our Scripture for today.
He and Barnabas are witnessing to the people at Lystra. They were trying to convince them, that they were not gods, but merely witnesses, of the only true God. For this argument they made reference to God’s goodness. “He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.”
As a follower of Christ Paul had had his share of afflictions (2 Corinthians 11: 23-32). But he had also seen the blessings of God in his own life as well as in the lives of other believers. For Paul it was not one or the other – it was one and the other. There would be the showers of blessings that would result in “fruitful seasons . . . food and gladness[,]” as well as the times of affliction that we spoke about yesterday. God’s goodness is present on both occasions.
Because Paul knew that God’s goodness takes different shapes, he could say the following: “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4: 10-13).
And so it is with us today – at all times, and in all circumstances, God’s goodness is made manifest. As the songwriter wrote: “Sometimes He calms the storm, and sometimes He calms His child” (Scott Krippayne). Our peace resides in the knowledge that He is good, and that He will be with us in the midst of the storm, as well as at harvest time. Therefore, we can always bear testimony of His goodness!