​“All my life You have been faithful…” This line from the song “Goodness of God” caught my attention this morning. The entire song ministers to me actually. As I listened to it, I remembered my backslidden season and my many failings over the years and yet God has been faithful to me. Even when my desires are more geared toward other people and things, God still takes care of me, He still loves me. You know, sometimes, we’re looking for someone to love us, to have our back and the people in our lives, even with their best efforts, just don’t seem to always make the grade. But God always loves, always covers, always protects, always takes care of us.
            The Bible says that God causes the rain to fall and the sun to shine on both the just and the unjust. In my backslidden state, I remember times when I would go to a party and pray that God would protect and keep me. Imagine!!! I should not even have been in the party in the first place, yet, God in His mercy and His goodness was pursuing me even in those parties, even when I went to places I knew God didn’t want me to go and had the friendships and relationships He didn’t want me to have. And believe me, I knew when the relationship was wrong. But God pulled me out and through each time. I don’t know about anyone else, but God has been faithful to me. And now as I look back and see where I was and where God has brought me to today, I am one person who can indeed “sing of the goodness of God.”
            Look at David’s life. He messed up time and again yet was still considered a man after God’s own heart. No one could tell David that God had not been good to him. He had experienced God’s goodness for himself. Look at Naomi. She and her family left their home to go to the heathen land of Moab. There she lost everything and her life seemed over. She returned home with nothing but bitterness and a Moabite daughter-in-law. It seemed nothing good could ever come to her again. Yet, God was with her in Moab, He directed her back home and blessed her far above and beyond what she could have asked for or imagined. And she ended up being a part of Jesus’ bloodline!
            What have you been through or are going through, what have you done or are doing that seems to disqualify you for God’s goodness? Nothing can separate you from God’s love . . . not even the devil himself (Romans 8:35, 38-39)!!! God pursues us because of love but also because of purpose. God is a God of purpose and His plans for you are to prosper you not to harm you, to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Yes, we may have to face the consequences of our actions, don’t get me wrong, but even in this God’s desire is to help us be the best we can be in Him. He is still good and sometimes we are too blind or distracted to see it. Sometimes, He even has to move and shift around people, things, situations to bring us to where He wants us to be. But it all boils down to His goodness. He won’t stand by and watch us destroy ourselves and He will intervene because of His intense love for us . . . even when we sometimes reject His love and His efforts to save us.
            God is good. God is faithful. And there is nothing you can do to change that!