Praise be to you, Lord, for your goodness to us, of which there are two kinds. First there is that which we commonly express after we get what we want. We say can, “God is good!” for we can easily see His goodness when He gives us the pleasant, the preferred, the prayer answers we wanted and the protection that we crave.

Then there is the other kind, when God’s unwanted goodness comes our way: the trials, chastening and challenges He sends or allows,, like unanswered prayers (actually, the answer is “no” or “wait”), the protection withheld, healing not given and problems unsolved. These all are also your goodness, Lord, as you have higher, deeper, longer and wider reasons for them.

It was your goodness, Lord, that sent Joseph to Egypt as a slave, that sent him to prison for doing what was right, and that in the end made him the Prime Minister of Egypt so he could save his family, the Egyptians, many from surrounding countries–and eventually us, as his work preserved the life of his brother Judah from whence came the Messiah.

All of this was your goodness, although much of it did not look, feel or smell like it to Joseph at the time. But he, by faith, declared his suffering and trials good, as he said to his brothers concerning their selling him as a slave, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Gen. 50:20).

Help us to remember that the next time things seem to “go south” —God has a plan will carry us through to better things.

In Luke 1 Zechariah continues, declaring that Jesus will come, “to guide our feet into the path of peace,” as in this picture leading us ever closer to the light of your love.

How wonderful you are, Lord Jesus, to call us to the path of peace: peace with you, peace with ourselves, peace with others. You, as the King of Peace, have bought this peace with your death and resurrection.

We praise you for this marvelous gift to us, which we must reach out and take by trusting you: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace AS YOU TRUST IN HIM, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom 15:13).

And we can trust in you because you are our Sovereign Lord who has redeemed us, saved us, has a plan for our lives and will carry us through with you to the end of history, on into eternity.

Here is a beautiful message in Luke 1, spoken by Zechariah, addressing his son, John the Baptist:

“you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,” [and so John did, sent by God for stirring up the people’s desire for righteousness.]

Luke 1:77 “to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,”

[This was a new truth, for the Jews thought that through the keeping of the law they could be saved. However, as it says in Romans 3, “But now a righteousness from God, APART FROM THE LAW, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.” This is a mystery revealed in Christ; it is the perspective of God, different from the tradition of the Jews.]

Luke 1:78 “because of the tender mercy of our God,”

[And this new way, the costly way of Jesus, is opened because our God is gracious, tender and merciful towards His enemies. We exalt you, O Lord, our God, for your kindness, your grace, your loving goodness towards us when we deserve the opposite. HELP US TO DWELL consistently IN THAT WONDERFUL TRUTH, IN THE LIGHT OF YOUR LOVE!]

As I face the unknowns of this coming day, I praise you, Lord Jesus, for what you will lead me through, and for what you will allow and disallow. I praise you that I can rest in you,

in your wonderful, marvelous, majestic and mighty Character,

sparkling in holiness, shining in purity, glowing in love, radiating forgiveness.

You are perfect, wise, absolute, gracious and righteous.

You are trustable, loving, firm and good.

You are the One and Only to be exalted and worshiped.

In you there is no evil, no fault, no wrong, no error.

In you there is only goodness, righteousness, purity and holiness.

Therefore, to you belongs praise, to you belongs trust, to you belongs obedience.

I bow before you now, surrendering myself and my desires to you in worship, I lay them on the altar of your love, and ask that you will do what you desire with each one. Fulfill what is good, deny what is not.

You, Lord Jesus,

are the King of glory,

the God of goodness,

the Prince of peace,

the Shepherd of supply,

the Lord of Love,

the Light of life,

the Bride-groom of beauty, the beauty reflected in the flowers in the picture below.

You are the Creator of All,

the Sovereign of Eternity,

the Shield of your sheep,

the Stronghold of safety,

the Fortress of faith,

the Rock of reliability,

the Arm of our armor,

the Source of support,

the Giver of grace, the

Provider of power,

the Widener of ways

and the Protector of your people who take refuge in you.

Praise you, Lord Jesus,

Savior of the universe,

Redeemer of all people,

Transformer of all who believe.

You are active, powerful and on time in answering the cry of all who submit to your leadership.

You are deeply caring,

wisely working,

godly in guiding,

persistent in protecting.

You are the only One we can trust–all others and all else are shifting sands.

Help us to walk in the light of these powerful truths, consistently doing what we know to be your will.