Good Things Mean God Is

Do not be deceived my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. 

James 1:16-18

If you ask the Bible why we have good things, the answer is that God, who is good, gives them to us. Without the God of the Bible there would be nothing, let alone good somethings. If the world were random having evolved as the naturalists and evolutionists tell us, would there be so many good things? I  don't think so. I hypothesize that there would be only what is necessary for survival but nothing for joyfulness. The design would be radically different; or, I should say, because there would be no design there would be no goodness. Our bodies would work, but without taste buds. We could procreate, but without intimacy and orgasms. I imagine you see where I'm heading with this. If God is the source of all goodness, then a world without Him is not good.

In the verses above the good and perfect gift being described is the gift of salvation from sin and its effects and consequences. But James means for us to recognize God not only as the giver of redemption, but also the giver of every good gift and every perfect gift. This text came to mind this morning when I was preparing my second of three breakfasts -- a banana slathered with Peter Pan crunchy peanut butter. I thanked God for that food combination believing that wondrous concoction to be a good gift from my Heavenly Father. And He gave it to me to enjoy (1 Ti 6:17). Food is fuel. Our bodies are designed to run on the stuff. Isn't it a gift that we get to like the fuel, not just consume it? God could have given lots of fuels that all taste the same, and/or taste bad, and/or have no taste at all. But He did the good and generous thing -- He gave a variety, with different tastes, textures, smells, etc. That's good.

Consider the many good things you have and enjoy. And consider the perfect salvation He gives in His Son Jesus Christ. And know that God is.

When He opens His hand, we are filled with good things.

Ps 104:27-28