Goodness
I wonder what Charles Dickens had in mind when he had a character in his 1840 " Barnaby Rudge " exclaim, " Goodness gracious me !"? This phrase also appeared in many classic TV programmes including the legendary Peter Sellers monologue of that name. Most dictionaries refer to this phrase as a mild exclamation meaning we feel alarm, dismay, annoyance or exasperation.
But it is thought also to have originated in the form “Good God be Gracious to me.”
In the 23rd Psalm we have that lovely phrase “Surely, Goodness and Mercy will follow me all the days of my life.” Did you notice the first word? Surely. The shepherd David did not say, “maybe” or “possibly” or even “there’s a good chance”. David penned the word, “Surely”. It really doesn’t mean that we are deserving of “goodness and mercy”, just the fact that God promises it to us in spite of our doubt, rebellion or even plan stubbornness. If those words still don’t grab you, let’s look at the remaining portion of this verse, “pursue me all the days of my life and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” God says His love will chase after me all not some, not most, not nearly all – but all the days of my life. Talk about a love passage this is one of the great ones.
The word Goodness here in Hebrew stands for a state of “welfare, prosperity, happiness” followed by the word Mercy, best translated as “loving kindness.” It was Augustine who said that “God is always trying to give good things to us, but our hands are too full to receive them.”
Father, thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness in my life. I trust that You are opening doors for me that no man can shut. I choose to obey Your commands and walk in love as I wait on Your marvellous plan to unfold in Jesus’ name. Amen
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