Greetings to All,

I know I don’t need to remind you that God Is Good, but He is Good! The little chorus we used to sing a lot proclaimed that God is good. Velna Ledin wrote this chorus in 1933 while on a road trip with several companions just to pass the time while they were traveling. The verses of that chorus still encourage me today.

God is so good,
God is so good,
God is so good,
He’s so good to me!

He cares for me,
He cares for me,
He cares for me,
He’s so good to me!

He answers prayer,
He answers prayer,
He answers prayer,
He’s so good to me!

I love him so,
I love him so,
I love him so,
He’s so good to me.

Many verses have been added over the years but the truth remains, God is so good! As we continue to be God’s church and His Great Commission Movement through this pandemic, we continue to face opposition and discord. Satan is at work throughout our world and country to bring division, disunity and destruction. Ephesians 6:12 reads,“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

The rest of the story is what Jesus told us in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Yes, the church can proclaim that God is so good. God is good even when there is unrest in our world. Our country and now the whole world is in the midst of responding to the murder of George Floyd. Our nation is at a point of unrest over this violent and wrongful act. Our response as the church and denomination should be biblical and we should ask ourselves "What Would Jesus Do?"

May we have empathy for our African American community. My heart goes out to them and I cry with them over this pain. I love our denomination and I pray for God to bring peace and love among all people. We should show Christian compassion for everyone. God is the Creator of all people and all have been created equal. Regardless of color, gender or race, each individual should have equal rights and opportunities. With God’s help and grace may we worship and serve without any discrimination.

I encourage our churches to live out the scriptural admonition found in Hebrews 12:14, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”

At this time in our existence I admonish us to examine ourselves and assess honestly our attitudes and actions. Holiness in the life of the believer is the only way to live right among each other. Let us completely submit to Jesus Christ and allow Him to cleanse us and fill us with His Holy Spirit. The essence of living the Christian life is in the Great Commandment, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.”

My prayer is that we will humbly seek the Lord and confess and repent of any and all kinds of racism and seek forgiveness and reconciliation. Reconciliation does not take place without absolute honesty, absolute surrender, and absolute obedience.

The events within our nation and around the world should cause us to pause and pray. I am asking that our pastors and church families take time to pray. Please set aside a special time to pray. Would you join me in making Thursday, June 4th, a day of prayer for the purpose of bringing peace and healing to our land.

Pray:

• For Honest and humble personal examination.
• Reconciliation: May our churches show the way for reconciliation among all people.
• Revival.
• Pray for God to move among our churches and all people regardless of color, gender or race. Ask God for a heart of understanding and love.
• Peace and harmony for all people.

“Matt. 6:33 - But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.”

God is good.

Dr. Mike Holbrook
General Superintendent
The Churches of Christ in Christian Union