A Chalk-Board Lesson

[551 words]

On the blackboard in the classroom adjacent to the foyer hallway was this writing: “God isn’t good, He’s GREAT!!” Clearly the expression is to elevate the Lord to the highest of the highs. If “good” is high, then “great” is even higher. At least, that is the way most will understand it in this context (“good” is actually a term that appropriately applies to God; it is the highest standard of measurement, since He is the essences of that which is good).

In what ways is God great? Consider:

“G” stands for that which is GOOD. When Jesus was approached by the young ruler, this dialogue ensued: “And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, even God” (Luke 18:18-19). When the Lord said this to the young ruler, He was not dismissing the term that was applied to Him, but His challenge to the wealthy young man to understand just what he ascribed to Jesus: he was calling Jesus God with this adjective “good.”

“R” stands for His plan of REDEMPTION. It was the Lord Jesus who made the point, “For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). In Luke 21:28, we read “But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads; because your redemption draweth nigh.”

“E” stands for God’s ETERNAL nature. Reflect on this a moment. There has never been a time when God did not exist. More than that, even before time began to exist in this material Universe, God existed. When Moses was told by the Lord to let the children of Israel know His name, He said, “…unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” This means that God is always in the present tense; there is no future with Him, and no past. The terms / concepts “future” and “past” pertain to God’s dealings with His creation, not with Him. Incomprehensible when you think about it.

“A” stands for ASSURANCE. We all need peace of mind. If we feel as if we are walking on a razor’s edge, falling to one side or the other if one is not careful, we end up cutting ourselves instead. Where is the peace of mind in that? In Hebrews 11:1, the Scripture reads, “Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen.”

“T” stands for a TRIAL we all face. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to them that love him” (James 1:12). Since the Lord does not tempt anyone (1:13), how can each resist the temptations that come to us? Solomon knew well the answer to this: “Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart and lean not upon thine own understanding: In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he will direct thy paths” (Prov. 3:5-6). Let us put our TRUST in Him and not on our own approach.

Ron Thomas
Rio Grande church of Christ
Bidwell, OH

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