God Is Still Good

Happy Wednesday!

In November I was listening to one of Nate Buzz’s Palm Sunday lessons on his Instagram about Luke 1:5-25 about how John the Baptist was foretold to his parents. One thing he talked about really stuck out to me. Zechariah and Elizabeth both came from very prominent families with rich Biblical backgrounds. Elizabeth descended from Aaron (an Old Testament priest) and Zechariah descended from the priestly division of Abijah. Nate Buzz brought up the point that since they came from such important Biblical family lines it would have been extra important to them to carry on their families’ legacy through a child. The fact that they couldn’t have a child within this context made it even more heartbreaking and prominent within the story. And yet, despite the fact that they had probably prayed for a child many times throughout their lives, yearned for one and even been expected to have one to carry on their family name and were never able to conceive, Luke still called them “righteous in the sight of God” and said that they “observed the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.”

Neither of them knew they would have John up until the angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah (again, I wonder if it was the same angel of the Lord that appeared to Joseph and the shepherds), both of them were old and had been living life up until that day with zero expectations of ever being blessed with a child. They weren’t looking for a reward from God or a blessing for being righteous or walking in His commands and decrees blamelessly. They did those things out of faith and love for the Lord, not expecting anything in return. Just going about their daily lives living in obedience to Him.

I had always kind of glossed over this couple’s story but after Nate Buzz explained their situation in such detail, I realized the kind of faith they had and the kind of faith that I want to have. To walk in the same way that Elizabeth and Zechariah did in faithfulness and obedience to Him every day, despite what I do or do not have. Elizabeth and Zechariah didn’t have a child, but did they let that grief or hurt get in the way of their relationship with God? No. They still saw Him as good and were still faithful and obedience to Him. They could have become bitter and angry toward Him. Why can’t you just answer my prayer and give me a child? But instead, they chose to walk in righteousness and were blameless in the sight of the Lord.

A lot of things were taken from us this year. Opportunities were lost. Things we had hoped or wished for to come true never did — never even had the chance to — this year. I’ll admit, I went through a grieving process. I was upset for a little while about a lot of things that I was and am missing out on because of this pandemic. But I also realized that God is still good. Even when things don’t turn out the way I thought they would. Zechariah and Elizabeth, in their young age, probably had plans for a family. Maybe they wanted five kids, a big family… and when it never happened, I’m sure they made time to grieve and there were hard moments. I can imagine Elizabeth lamenting to God as to why He wouldn’t bless her with a child. But it’s clear that they also never let it stop them from obeying God, loving Him and knowing that He was still good.

This year has taught me a lot of things and one of them is that God is still good even when everything else in my life isn't. Even when I feel like the biggest mess or nothing is working out or I'm depressed or anxious. Even when the world is thrown into such chaos... God is still good. He still shows up in little and big ways, still showers us with blessings and still loves us no matter how messy we are. Sometimes you just have to look a little harder to find His goodness. Not because He's hiding it but because sometimes we're blind to it by our sadness or fear or anger.

As Christmas draws closer to closer, take a minute to reflect on God's goodness. This is a season of celebrating and remembering Jesus's arrival and God's goodness in sending His only Son down to die for us. To be our shepherd and our sacrificial lamb. It may be harder than it is in previous years, but there are still lots of ways God has been good this year. He never stopped being good. We just have to take our blinders off and look a little harder to find it.

What is one way that God has been good to you this year?