“Yahweh is good,
a stronghold in a day of troubles,
protecting those who take refuge in God.” — Nahum 1:7
God is good.
All the time.
All the time.
God is good.
It is a popular call and response.
I’m not sure of its origins.
I recall it as I sit with Nahum,
the seventh “minor” prophet
(“minor” means those who speak in short prophecies!)
His name means “Consoler,”
which is a little ironic because
there isn’t much comfort in his prophecies —
especially if you live in Nineveh.
He is certain of their doom
announcing God will take vengeance on their enemies.
Nahum frames his prophecy with the words, “God is good.” (1:7)
God is good?
God is good because God is vengeful and full of wrath
and quick to punish enemies?
According to Nahum, and his way of seeing, yes.
But don’t dismiss Nahum. I think there is theological plank here that is more essential.
God is good. Don’t we say it when a disaster is averted, when we’ve had a close miss, when things are going well?
Imagine if someone says to you, “If I left five minutes earlier, I’d be in that accident.”
“God is good,” they might say,
or you might —
but really you should think about it.
We’re not so likely to say “God is good” when disaster falls upon us, when we are in the midst of troubles, and life is just too hard.
Imagine if someone says to you, “I have cancer.”
And you say, “God is good.”
I imgine you can’t imagine that.
Yet …
God is good.
All the time.
All the time.
God is good.
Nahum says God is good EVEN in a day of troubles.
God’s goodness isn’t dependent on our emotions. God isn’t good because we feel good. God’s goodness isn’t tied to outcomes. God isn’t good because good things happen.
Nahum knew that God is good to those who are having the worst day of their lives
and close to those who are suffering deeply.
God is good in all times. God never lets go.
Truly,
God is good.
All the time.
All the time.
God is good.
“Blogging one verse from every book of the bible.“
