Have you ever experienced a moment where you catch of glimpse of God's goodness? I'm not talking about a moment when you learn a new truth necessarily, but a moment when you come to realize the reality of a truth.
I can remember a time personally when life circumstances were very difficult. So difficult they were that I found myself pleading to the Lord for answers. After praying I directed my attention to the devotional I was reading at the time, and what I read that morning was like a specific answer to the prayer I just offered to the Lord. It was stunning! It left me humbled and aware of the depths of the Lord's goodness. It seemed odd that I should learn about the Lord's goodness in such a difficult time, but that was the setting the Lord used to convey more of His reality.
I think that is what Israel experienced in 2 Chronicles 7. No, this was not a time of difficulty, in fact, it was a time of significant accomplishment.
God had made many promises to the His people. Now they stood before a glorious temple (not only because God had filled it with His glory, but because it was made in a magnificient way), built in the middle of their promised land, being dedicated by the son of their greatest king. As Israel took in this situation they were overwhelmed by the Lord's goodness. They indeed caught a glimpse of His goodness. And their response? Verse 3 and following says that "they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshipped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, 'For He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever.'"
Later in verse 10 it says that Solomon sent the people away "joyful and glad of heart for the prosperity that the Lord had granted to David and to Solomon and to Israel His people." At that moment the people were impacted by the truth that the Lord had showered His goodness upon them, and they could scarely take it in.
This is a truth that all Christians at least acknowledge in their heads. We believe that God is good; we can even list ways that the Lord is good. But there are those moments that God gives us when we are struck with the reality of those moments. Deep in our souls we are moved to understand just how good the Lord is, and when we have those moments we are moved to bow in awe before Him and declare that He is indeed good. His lovingkindness endures forever.
This Christmas season don't miss these moments. With all the busyness of preparations for Christmas, don't neglect taking time to meditate on just how good the Lord is. He came down from His glorious abode to take on human flesh. He came down so that we would no longer have to live in the bondage of sin and death, but could know the freedom of sins sent away, and the fullness of life that comes through His Spirit.
Oh how good is the Lord! His lovingkindness endures forever. May you know the reality of this truth in a deeper way this season!
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