Growing in Revelation of His Goodness
It was on a Friday morning in our little prayer room, that the Father began to give me downloads of His goodness. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting it—I didn’t even ask for it. It just came and all I could do was just sing about it. Sometimes the only right response is to sing.
So, under inspiration I began to sing this phrase, “that’s why you turned the water into wine, to show that You get better with time.” As I sang, I could see John’s account of Jesus turning the water into wine (John 2:1-11). It was so real— I could see Jesus smiling as He took a potential sour moment and transformed it into a most glorious one! You see, in the Jewish culture, it was the grooms’ responsibility to provide wine for their wedding. In the event that the wine was sour, unenjoyable, or (in this case) they ran out of wine, it would result in shame and public humiliation for the groom.
One the first miracles that Jesus performed was removing shame and public humiliation. Perhaps He was making a clear statement to the onlookers—that if you thought that was good, stick around. There’s plenty more goodness coming down the pike.
“Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days.” Hosea 3:5 (NASB)
I’ve always been a firm believer in the truth that we should tremble at the vastness and eternal splendor of the risen King. One can read accounts like Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4-5 and see that trembling in awe is just a natural response—He is just so holy and full of pure light. However, to tremble because He is exceedingly good, that’s a concept that has never crossed my mind—at least until late when I read this verse in Hosea 3: they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days.”
What if we are to tremble in anticipation of the Lord’s goodness? What if we’re designed to be filled with such revelation of the Father’s kindness and goodness, that we would tremble under the weight of it?
I personally believe that Jesus (turning the water into wine) began a progression of the Fathers goodness that is supposed to increase in each generation. In other words, the avalanche of understanding aimed at every generation began in the ministry of the Son—He came to show us the nature (goodness) of the Father!
Although the Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever—our perception and revelation of His unchanging goodness isn’t supposed to stay the same. Instead, we are called to a life of “glory to glory” and part of that “glory to glory” journey is the act of increasing in the light of revelation as it relates to His eternal goodness… and just because we encounter new glimpses of His goodness doesn’t mean He has gotten any better. God the Father doesn’t wake up some days and decide He’s going to try that “good” thing. He is just wanting to take us back to the garden of delight, as it was in the beginning. He wants to show us the goodness that Adam saw in the garden, in the cool of the day.
“The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 (NASB)
Every day presents a new opportunity to see the Father in His goodness like never before. With each sunrise, we are called to rise in the light of the revelation of Father’s mercies and His goodness. As David said, “Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life…” (Psalm 23:6). They are chasing us down… Will you let your heart be opened to the ever-increasing good nature of our Father?
May surrender to His goodness be our song!
-RA
