God is good? How does he define it? How do you?

• Note- Over the last 2 weeks we have been covering the 4 critical needs of sheep to rest. The last 2 meditations covered 3 of the 4- relational upset, circumstantial fears, mental/emotional peace. The last one today is on satisfying hunger and thirst, the 4th critical need for rest. All 4 needs are tied to reliance upon God as good.

Today is GOOD FRIDAY. Is God is good? How does He define “good”? How do you define “good”? We use the word good in abstract form. “That was a good meal.” “What she said was good.” “I had a good time tonight.”

Our statements are opinion based and abstract. What you think is good may not be what another concludes as “good”.

God has a very concrete definition behind the word “good”. It is rooted in His character as Creator and divine provider. You will not see that explicitly said if you look up the word “good” in our dictionaries.

We can take a deeper look through some fascinating pictures that define the word “good” as God intends. To do so, we have to look deeper into language beginnings, to ancient language and ancient culture that originally used pictographs, also known as hieroglyphics, to write down their stories. When you look at the pictographs that were combined to communicate the word “good”, a mind-blowing definition is revealed! This is what you will meditate upon today. You will see God’s giving heart to supply all that is needed for an abundant life!

Know that pictographs eventually evolved into letters. And that the meanings of the pictographs stayed tied to the words they spelled. The example today is “good”. In ancient language of Hebrew, the word “good” is spelled with 3 letters, not 4 as in the English language. If we look at the pictograph that originated behind each letter, we discover the definition of good. Consider these 3 images in your mind’s eye:

A basket, made of clay.
A tent peg.
A tent.

Why these three images to spell the word good? Look closely at the purpose of each image.
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• A basket surrounds, contains, and stores things collected.
• Tent pegs are used to firmly secure a temporary covering.
• A tent is a temporary dwelling to move by season. In ancient times, God’s people lived in tents. Therefore, tents were homes, places of family.

Now let’s look at the activity behind each object’s purpose. In ancient times, God’s people went out daily with their baskets to fill them up with things they needed. They went back to their homes with all that they needed to satisfy their family. They were secured by bringing in all they needed and surrounded by God’s protection. When filled, secured, and satisfied at home, they functioned as God designed. When filled, secured, satisfied and functioning as designed, this is good.

Therefore, God’s meaning of good is:
Being surrounded and filled in such a way that you are secured and covered. Your dwelling is secure because you have a supply of all that is necessary for you to function as designed.

Is the word “good” as God intends starting to have a very concrete meaning to you? It is not opinion based. It is a state of being that is based upon a supply of all that is needed to function as God designed, which is all based upon His provision and supply.

Jesus promises that all of our needs will be satisfied according to His riches. He promises to surround us with His favor. He promises to fill us to overflowing with His Spirit and life. He promises to secure our souls and fill our temporary dwelling with Himself. He promises to give us our daily needs as we seek first His Kingdom. This is good and pleases God. With the Lord as your Good Shepherd, you are to lack no good thing.

Meditate:
Take time to view your life through the 3 images of the basket, the tent peg, and the tent.

• Consider what is surrounding you, filling you, securing you, and if you have all you need? It is easy to surround ourselves with things, fill ourselves with things, carry things, attempt to secure our own happiness, and bring things into our lives that are not good.
• Write down these questions and take time to write out your answer. What is surrounding me? What am I gathering? What am I letting in to me? What/who do I reach for to secure me? When all these things combine, am I functioning as whole? Am I satisfied, at peace, rested and filled in abundance? Do I feel empty in any area?
• Where you discover that you have areas that do not fit what is good, take these to Jesus. Tell him what is not good. Ask Him to redirect you in the path of His divine supply, to give you His strength to make better choices, and to trust where He leads.
• God offers to release your hands from the basket, so that you rest in His presence and promises.

Psalm 81:6- “I removed the burden from their shoulders;
their hands were set free from the basket.
Matthew 11:28- “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
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• Go to Jesus for burdens to be removed. Ask for a greater experience of His goodness.
• Ask to function as He designed.
• Ask for Him to show you where you need to let go of doing it all on your own and trusting Him to provide all that you need.
• Ask Him to fill you with divine supply of His Spirit. You are a clay basket to fill with God’s all-surpassing power. Your body is a tent, a temporary dwelling that is groaning and burdened. Therefore, you are to be secured by hope from Christ who is an anchor (tent peg) for your soul.

Hebrews 6:19-20a- We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever,

2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay (basket) to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

• Your body is an earthly, temporary tent. Release any groaning and burden to Jesus. Admit to yourself, that while you are on earth, that you will never be fully satisfied because you long for your eternal house in Heaven.

2 Corinthians 5: 1-5 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

• Thank him for his divine supply.

Philippians 4:19- And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

• Praise Him as Good Shepherd. Ask Him to lead and guide you.
• Psalm 23:1- The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

May you take time now for quiet in the presence of the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for you!