good

I'm taking a little break from all the photo posting to share something that has been sitting in my heart the last couple days.
I've been reading through Psalm 119 one verse per day and it has been turning me upside down. Yesterday I read verse 68:

"You are good and do good; Teach me Your statutes."

The first part of that is what really hit my heart. David is declaring this of the Lord, that He is good and does good. This is such a strong comfort because no matter what happens, God is good and He does good. Even though things are so hard sometimes, even though they hurt so much, even when they make no earthly, humanly conceivable sense, I know that if they are submitted to God, it will be good. We might not see the good now, we might not see it until we are with Him in Eternity but He promises that he will work all things together for good for those who are being conformed to the likeness of Jesus (Romans 8:28-29). Because He is good.
In the Hebrew this word is: יָטַב or yä·tav'. It has many shades of meaning as most ancient Hebrew words do. One of them is "to be well placed". No place is "more good" (excuse my English grammar) than where our heavenly father places us.
It reminds me of a scene in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, when the Pevensies are first hearing about Aslan. "Is He safe?" asks Lucy. The beavers laugh and tell her, "He isn't safe, but He is good." And it's so true...sometimes surrendering everything to God isn't the safest thing to do...but it is the best (or most good).
This word can also mean "to be well with". Like one of my favorite Hymns that says "What ever my lot, you have taught me to say it is well, it is well with my soul."

I am so thankful I serve a good God...that does good.