The Very Good

“Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31)

Emphasis on very. Not “satisfactory.” Not “that’ll do.” Not “useful” or “efficient” or “nice.” It was very. The Hebrew word might also be translated, with a little more punch, exceedingly, abundantly, with a great deal of much-ness (won’t exactly find this last one in the lexicon, but the sense is there, you know). In other words, it just doesn’t get any better than this. This is indeed the best of all possible worlds.

Now if God is exceedingly, abundantly, mucho happy with it all—forget about sin, death, and the devil for a minute—how much more so should we be. Look around on all that God has made, the way He has made it, and give thanks. God is very good. The world He has made is very good—the world and everything in it.

Don’t like Brussels sprouts? They are very good. Add a little butter and salt, and give thanks for them.

Don’t like math? You are not allowed to dislike it. It is very good—God says so. Give thanks for the way numbers work in the world, and do your homework.

Can’t stand us men? God made mankind male and female and called it “very good.” I know it’s a stretch, but . . . give thanks for them and the way God made them, and ask God for help in seeing them from God’s “very-good” perspective.

Don’t like children? God made the world to be full of them. They are very good. I know they are not always “very good” in the moral sense—sometimes they can be really, really bad. But not only are they made in the image of God, they are the models for those who would be heirs of the kingdom of God. Give thanks for them, and ask God to change your heart (and theirs) to conform to His.

Give thanks in everything and for all things, God says. Everything God has made and everything God has done is very good.

All right, Mr. Pollyanna, you say, when do we add back in all the dark side of the universe? We all know there is plenty not only not very good but not good at all. Yes, that is true. I was getting to that. Give thanks for that too. Since God causes all things to work together for our good, you can, at least in that sense, give thanks for all things without discrimination. But very good loses its meaning fairly quickly if there is not a very bad for contrast’s sake. Bring back into the picture sin, death, and the devil. You are permitted to hate these things, and with passion. God hates them too. That is why He has defeated them through the death of our Lord Jesus Christ—which was a very bad thing turned to our very greatest good.

In fact, because there is so much bad in the world, it is that much more important for us to remember, rejoice in, give thanks for, and enjoy to the max the so much more very-good stuff of which this world is made and the very good and gracious God who made it. Abhor what is evil, but embrace with fervent love and gratitude the good—which includes the exceedingly and abundantly good universe God crafted with His own hands in six days.

“Lord God, we give You thanks for the very good world You have made and all of the very good and wonderful things You have placed in it. We give You thanks also for being a sovereign Lord over all things who causes all things—good and bad—to work together for our good. We thank You most of all for our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and for whom all things are created, and for the redemption of creation through His death, burial, and resurrection. Make us by Your Holy Spirit after His image, we pray in Christ’s name. Amen.”