Greatness, Goodness, and Gratitude
"The Lord is good; how great is God" (Nahum 1:7; Job 36:26)
We are just back from nine wonderful days at the beach. Anyone who really knows me knows that the beach is my happy place. One morning I woke up extra early. Before my eyes even opened, I remembered words from the very first prayer that I ever learned: "God is great; God is good." The line, of course, is the first line in a familiar children's blessing:
"God is great; God is good.
Let us thank Him for our food
By His hand we all are fed
Give us Lord our daily bread."
I guess I was two years old when Mama first taught me those words. We repeated them before countless meals for years. As a child I often recited or almost sang them so fast that I failed to fully understand what I was really affirming. To be honest, I haven't thought of those particular words in many years. But last week at the beach as I read J.I. Packer's excellent book Knowing God, the goodness and greatness of God were on full display all week and the "God is great; God is good" refrain was a sacred echo to my weary soul. Here are just a few of the ways I witnessed God's greatness and goodness at the beach:
As we built sandcastles in the sand with my grandchildren, I ran my hand through the grains of sand and remembered Jeremiah 5:22 "I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting border it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it."
As the ocean tide rolled in and out, little minnows were left in shallow wave pools along the shoreline. Flocks of sea gulls quickly descended to feast on the fish and Jesus' familiar words from the Sermon of the Mount came to mind: "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them." Matthew 6:26
The stunning evening sunset in the bay, a sky filled with different shades of pink, purple, orange, and blue, all swirled together to create a magnificent canvas reminded me of the prophet's words from Isaiah 40:26 "Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens; Who created all these?"
The blackened night sky, absent the moon (it was Black Moon week last week), filled with countless stars reminded me once again of Isaiah's words: "He brings out the starry host one by one and calls them each by name." Isaiah 40:26
David's words from Psalm 139 "fearfully and wonderfully made" were frequently brought to mind as I watched 7 year old Julia doing handstands in the ocean; 5 year old Caroline finally mastering her swimming technique; or nine month old Mary Clayton standing alone for the first time.
As Caroline and I picked up seashells along the shore, we marveled that no two shells were exactly alike. God in His infinite goodness has unlimited creativity so that no seashells, snowflakes, or people are ever the same. Each one is fearfully and wonderfully made by God.
White crabs scampering along the beach and colorful wildflowers by the roadside attested to God's beauty, creativity, and infinite design. The words from Genesis echoed in my mind and heart, "And God saw that it was good." Genesis 1:25
The word majesty comes from Latin and means greatness. Writing on the majesty of God, J. I. Packer says: "The word majesty, when applied to God, is always a declaration of his greatness and an invitation to worship...How may we form a right idea of God's greatness? The Bible teaches us two steps that we must take. The first is to remove from our thoughts of God limits that would make him small. The second is to compare him with powers and forces which we regard as great."
To appreciate the goodness of God, Packer's advice is simply count your blessings. "Learn not to take the natural benefits, endowments, and pleasures for granted; learn to thank God for them all."
God is great AND God is good! Greatness, goodness, and gratitude!