An Inkling
From time to time I’ll hear
someone respond to the query “how are you?” with “It’s all good.” I don’t think that’s offered as a careful
assessment of the universe, just as their own brave intention to look on the
bright side. Good enough. But we who serve the One who is both great
and good can speak the same with a greater depth and joy.
We do so in part by pausing
to recognize the simple goodness we experience daily. For example, just in the last week, I’ve
enjoyed these small pleasures:
- Visiting with my grandson, Jack, about his first week in kindergarten.
- Diving into a new book on sexual ethics that is so well done that it’s reviving my interest in a topic that had long since become wearisome.
- Riding bikes with my bride to the High Bridge near Farmville – what a great view!
- Watching football, my favorite sport.
- Reviving my morning prayer time with walking – cooler weather helps!
- And eating dinner out with friends, conversing about things that matter.
These are simply good
things, for which it’s easy to give thanks.
Then there are those other
things – frustrations, temptations, and worries. I’ve also had those in the last week, but I’ll
spare you the list. For these, too, I
can give God thanks. Not because they’re
good in themselves, or pleasurable, but because he can work good even in such
things, such as the goodness of ever greater reliance on him.
Because he is not simply good,
but great, he can actually keep his promise in Romans 8:28, to bend all things
around to goodness for his own. Which
means…
It’s all good!
Keith
