{"id":472,"date":"2014-09-12T20:06:55","date_gmt":"2014-09-13T01:06:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/belovedlove.org\/reflections\/?p=472"},"modified":"2019-05-17T14:42:14","modified_gmt":"2019-05-17T19:42:14","slug":"god-is-good","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/belovedlove.org\/reflections\/2014\/09\/12\/god-is-good\/","title":{"rendered":"“Good” gets a bad rap. God is good."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"God<\/a><\/p>\n

by \u00a0Lydia Floren<\/p>\n

The word \u201cgood\u201d often gets a bad rap.\u00a0 \u201cGood\u201d might mean unapproachable, perfectionistic, hypocritical, obsessive compulsive, squeaky clean, self-righteous, pompous.<\/p>\n

A \u201cgood person\u201d might bring to mind a \u201cgoody two shoes\u201d, teacher\u2019s pet, brown-noser, self-righteous prick or a clean freak.<\/p>\n

Does anyone really want to be good, or to be around good people?\u00a0 Well, yes, I think we do, because we know that \u201cgood\u201d really <\/em>means honorable, trustworthy, kindhearted, selfless, genuine, approachable, giving, humble.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

When we hear \u201cGod is good\u201d, what image surfaces?\u00a0 A tall white-robed\u00a0 man holding out a stick, frowning down at us?\u00a0 Is God that harsh, unapproachable, difficult to please, and downright mean-spirited guy we sometimes think He is?\u00a0 No. Definitely not. God is no monster.<\/p>\n

God is not out to get you:\u00a0 He is out to bless you.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Remember the aftermath of 9-11?\u00a0 Being afraid to open mail, being suspicious of unaccompanied suitcases in an airport?\u00a0 You would not accept a package, and certainly not open one, unless you trusted the sender.\u00a0 We are every bit as hesitant to trust God sometimes, believing at some level that He really is out to get us, like a bait and switch scheme.\u00a0 Know this:\u00a0 You cannot receive and open the gift of abundant life God has given you without first accepting that God is truly good.\u00a0 God is not out to get you.\u00a0 He is out to bless you.<\/p>\n

Here is the truth–God is good:\u00a0 God is loving, joyful, peace-loving, patient, kind, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

God is<\/p>\n