Message for November 16, 2025 from Pastor Shirley

God is good, and all the time God is good!  This is a declaration of faith that God’s goodness is constant, regardless of circumstances.  God’s goodness is part of his character—it is who God is.  This means that God is morally excellent, righteous, and perfect, and his goodness is the source of all things good.  His goodness is expressed through his attributes like his love, mercy, and his plan for creation.  His character is consistent.  James 1:17 tells that every “good and perfect gift” comes from God, who is unchanging like the sun, unlike a shifting shadow. 

The Bible consistently states that God is all good, righteous, and the source of all goodness.  The Bible begins by describing God’s work in creation as “good.”  The Bible teaches that God works all things for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28). He is also presented as the one who “works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). 

Psalms 34:8 “O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good; How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who takes refuge in Him.”

David urges God’s people to discover the goodness of the Lord for themselves. He doesn’t want readers to just take his word that the Lord is good; he wants them to actively experience and know for themselves the fact that God is good.  The phrase “taste and see that the Lord is good” is an invitation to personally experience God’s goodness through faith and trust.  Taste involves testing or sampling; to see involves understanding or perceiving. The phrase taste and see, then, means “try and experience.”