For you are Good

"For you are Good" was a chorus line in one of our worship songs from last night at house church and for a follower of Jesus, this is a statement of our assumption about God and I guess we hope it lines up with our experience, but its hard sometimes.

I'm teaching a philosophy course presently discussing the Christian worldview in the midst of a world of competing worldviews, namingly Naturalism. One of the largest challenges from a human perspective in the belief of a good God is the problem of evil and suffering. Can we confirm God's goodness if our experiences in our present context involves suffering and pain? If within our life it seems God is silent can we uphold the belief that he is worthy of worship? Well, belief is the right word here I think. Its simply faith and a belief that God is present in our suffering even when we can't discern his presence and belief in a hope that our present suffering is not the only chapter to the Story. That he is writing a larger Story that will make sense of our present suffering or perhaps not sense, but a final victory nonetheless.

For you are good? Sometimes the faith in that belief is difficult. But what are the options? Like Peter in John 6 and the Daily Declaration of Faith from Celtic Daily Prayer:

"To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory."

Belief in God's goodness is a step of faith, but its not blind faith. His Scriptures are filled with stories of his faithfulness. The Christian tradition is chock full of evidence of his goodess. My personal life experiences had led me to the validity of this belief. And now my intellect at times wrestles with the concept but leaves me at this same place this morning. For you are good, Lord. Its not fun sometimes, but I believe you are good and I want to follow you again this day.

peace,