God is Great and God is Good

"Power belongs to God, and that to you, O Lord belongs steadfast love." (Ps. 62:11b-12a)

One of the very first prayers that I learned as a child was for meal time, and we prayed, "God is great, God is good." That is essentially what this passage of scripture says. "Power belongs to God," affirms the reality, God is indeed great. He is so great that one name does not describe Him. He is so great that the vast expanse of the universe cannot contain Him. He is without limit. And He is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond anything we can conceive or think. (Eph. 3:20). God is Great. He is able to do anything that He desires. There is nothing too difficult for God.

If that was the end of the conversation, we might have a problem. Someone who has all power would be greatly dangerous if they did not have good intentions toward us. But the Psalmist says, not only is God great in that all power belongs to Him, He is also good, because steadfast love belongs to His nature as well. God's intentions toward us are good.

Jeremiah said it this way, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." God is love according to the Bible. He loves because of who He is, not because we merit or deserve to be loved. God is not only great, He is good.

The book of Lamentations says, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (3:22-23)