The Word of the Day is Good

Psalm 85:1–3 (MSG)

“God, you smiled on your good earth! You brought good times back to Jacob. You lifted the cloud of guilt from your people, you put their sins far out of sight.”

A Good God, A Restored People

There is something powerful about the way Scripture talks about goodness. It’s never shallow, never temporary, never dependent on circumstances. Psalm 85 points us to a God whose goodness restores what is broken, lifts what is heavy, and clears what once clouded our vision. This is not just goodness as a concept—it’s goodness in motion. The psalmist describes a God who smiles on all of humanity, who brings back good times after struggle, who gently removes guilt and places it “far out of sight.” This is a picture of a God who does not hold our past against us but calls us forward with hope. God's goodness is not earned; it is given. It meets us where we are and moves us toward healing and wholeness.

Goodness is not something we chase—it’s something God restores within us.

The word good means having desirable or positive qualities, especially those suited for a purpose; marked by kindness, integrity, and wholeness. God’s goodness shapes us into who we were created to be. It restores integrity where there was fracture, hope where there was heaviness, and purpose where there was confusion. Maybe today you need to be reminded that God’s goodness has not left you. God is still lifting, restoring, and renewing. Even if you don’t feel it yet, your story is still held by a good God who delights in doing good things in you and through you.

Reflection Questions

1. Where have I recently noticed God's goodness showing up in unexpected or subtle ways?

2. What guilt or weight am I still carrying that God may be inviting me to release?

3. How can I intentionally reflect God’s goodness to someone today?

Prayer

Good and gracious God, thank You for Your restoring goodness. Thank You for lifting guilt, renewing my spirit, and bringing me back to places of joy and peace. Help me see Your goodness at work in my life today. Strengthen me to walk in integrity, kindness, and hope. And make me a vessel of Your goodness to others. Amen. Amen and Amen. 

Takeaway

God’s goodness doesn’t just touch your life—it transforms it.

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