What is Good?

How would you answer that question? What is good?

• Chocolate is good, especially when it’s dark and full of some sort of nut. Almonds. Yes, almonds are good.

• Speaking of food, my husband’s cooking is good.

• The two-pound decrease that showed up on the scales this week was good.

• My children’s behavior has been especially good this week.

• Any day I get to spend in my husband’s presence is good.

Yes, many things are good. Yet all of them fall into a single category. Anything good is found at the hand of God, created by God, intended to point us to God, given as a generous gift from God. King David says it best.

I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good besides You.” Psalm 16:2

Unfortunately, I forget that there is no good besides Him. I seek inherent good in the things I listed above and many, many other things. I forget that they are only good because they are of God. As a result, their goodness seems only temporary. I am left satisfied for just a moment. Then I crave more good.

What a difference when I enjoy God’s goodness instead! I then see these “good” things as gifts from His hand, overflowing from His abundant, endless goodness. They point back to Him instead of seeking to satisfy on their own.

Where are you seeking goodness today? From your family? From that cup of coffee that gets you going every morning? From that kid-free date night? From the attention of someone? From the praises of your boss? From a success?

May I remind you that each one of those good things is a gift from the Lord? Enjoy them abundantly, but not because they are good in and of themselves. They are not. Enjoy them instead because they offer little glimpses of the only true goodness: our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.