Find the Good!

Find the good, for God is gracious.

To my loyal readers, I have to apologize for infrequent posts lately. I’ve been working very long hours and while I remain passionate about pointing out the good in everyday life and why God will always provide, it’s been challenging to find the time – and cranial energy – to put those words on paper. I wouldn’t call it writer’s block; rather, I’d say I’m just a bit time deficient of late.

Do you remember that 1980’s game “Where’s Waldo?” That’s an allegory for today’s news – where’s the good news? Are we to believe nothing good will happen in a world of wars and rumors of wars?

God is doing great things in the world regardless of the headlines we read. Generous donors have given nearly $300 million to hurricane relief for the Caribbean, which is triple the relief donated for Irma and over 10 times that given to Maria – we’re not tiring of doing good. (Gal 6:9) Amid cries for help, Elon Musk has chimed that his Tesla solar power unit is scalable as a long-term energy solution for the island – that’s good news. CNN ran a story this morning that a company in the Middle East is leveraging the Internet to allow large numbers of women to enter the workforce for the first time in their lives without violating Islamic laws. With less than a quarter of women in that part of the world working these opportunities are definitely good news. In March, CNN ran a story that the infant mortality rate dropped fifteen full percentage points over the last decade – children surviving infancy is always a good story.

For us, there is redemption just as there was for the people in Joseph’s time. God encouraged right attitude and behavior in Amos.

“For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts. Therefore the prudent keep quiet in such times, for the times are evil. Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.” (Amos 5:12-15, NIV)

In 1873, after losing his entire family in disaster, Horatio Spafford penned the familiar words to the hymn, “It Is Well with My Soul.”

“When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.”

So join Horatio and the remnant of Joseph and find peace and goodness in a world that prefers hate. The same God who created the heavens, put breath in every living thing, made the sun for day and the moon for night and held back the Jordan for His people to cross, that same God holds your hand in the crushing weight of trials.

Hate evil, love good, establish judgement that the Lord our God will be gracious to His remnant.