God is Great, God is Good

Bible Reading: Genesis 1:14-25

You [God] are good and do only good; teach me your principles. Psalm 119:68

CHECK THE ANSWER you think best fits the meaning of each word.

Do you know what the word feline means?

_____ The line where people line up to pay parking fees

_____ Harmless

_____ Like a cat

How about the word bovine?

_____ A deep canyon

_____ Like a cow

_____ A vine that grows a rare kind of grape

How about the word good?

_____ To do whatever you want as long as it doesn’t hurt anybody

_____ To be “one with the universe”

_____ To be like God

Well, you probably get the point. The word feline means to be catlike. The word bovine refers to a cow or something that resembles a cow. And to be morally good means to be like God.

When God created the universe and everything in it, he looked at what he’d created and saw that it was good. That wasn’t just an opinion; it was the truth! He was comparing everything he’d made with himself, and because everything was pure and perfect and without sin (like he is), it was “good.”

Now, of course, when sin entered the world, it messed up God’s “good” creation. But one thing hasn’t changed: When something is morally good, it is like God. If it isn’t like God, it isn’t good.

In fact, you can’t go far wrong if you measure everything you think, do, or say against the one standard for what is good—God. If you ask yourself, “Is it like God?” before you make any choice, the difference between good and bad will be a lot easier to see… because God is good.

REFLECT: How many times in Genesis 1 does God call his creation “good”? What was he comparing it to?

Which is easier—to rely on your friends’ ideas of what is good or to measure everything you think, do, or say against the one standard for what is good—God himself? Which is right?

PRAY: “God, I praise you because you are good. You are holy. You are perfect. You are pure. You are righteous in everything you think, do, and say. Help me to remember that you alone are good.”