Just Good
God's description of creation could not have been less fussy. With finishing flourishes in place, He called it all simply "good." Such a portrayal is insufficient to ears tuned to superlatives like awesome, cool and spot on. For people who shop at super stores, watch superstars, and classify everything from makeovers to sports as extreme, the word good seems inadequate to convey the splendor of “the heavens and the earth…in all their vast array.” (Gen. 2:1)
God’s word choice is a lesson in divine vocabulary. His good is truly good. As good as it gets. It is not mediocrity. Instead, it is brilliance and distinction. First rate and first class. Psalm 25:8 says, “Good and upright is the Lord.” God etched this goodness into everything He created, so His creation is really an expression of Himself.
God is good, and what He made is good. The New Testament uses a similar word to depict such excellence. The Greek arete is echoed in our English word, virtue, as in the Apostle Peter’s instruction to “supplement…faith with virtue.” (2 Pe. 1;5, ESV) Arete is a marvelous word that implies the use of something for its intended purpose. This passage says the best purpose for which we were created is virtue, moral excellence or goodness.
God’s creatures become the epitome of their Maker when they simply do what they were made to do.
Horses run.
A running horse is majestic.
Flowers bloom.
A blooming flower is delightful.
Clouds rain.
A raining cloud is refreshing.
Children learn.
A learning child is marvelous.
Stars shine.
A shining star is brilliant.
God is majestic.
God is delightful.
God is refreshing.
God is marvelous.
God is brilliant.
He is all this…and more. He is good. What He made is good. He made you. He called you good. You are never more like Him than when goodness and virtue are the norm. You carry the echo of God’s kind of excellent goodness, so be good for goodness sake.
Created about 3 years ago
