God's Goodness Shouts!

God shouts his goodness in the rain that falls to the ground today. In the sun that warmed the air last week, His goodness shouted out. In the laughter of my children, His goodness was heard. I hear the shouts of His goodness in the words of life spoken to restore the weary. His goodness shouts in the belly laugh of a little girl who is tickled to death and can't escape her daddy. In the crooked smile of a teenage boy who tries hard not to laugh at his mom's joke, God's goodness shouts. God's goodness shouts through the tears of a elderly man who lays beside his dying wife of sixty-five years. His goodness is heard in the heart of a mommy and daddy who lost their child and are free from the bondage and anger of blaming God. His goodness shouts in the prayers of a child, so innocent, so selfish, yet; so heard. His goodness shouts in the middle aged husband who lost his dream and gets up another day. His goodness shouts in the words of forgiveness spoken as it takes back the ground stolen in relationships. His goodness shouts at the grave site of a mother who spent her life giving of herself in service and intercession for her children. I can hear his goodness as a young married couple smiles and says,"What was that fight about, I'm sorry." In the hand that gives soup to the homeless, His goodness shouts. In the adoption of the orphan, His goodness shouts. In the smile of a child who is hearing the happy birthday song, I hear His goodness shouting. In an angry heart, that chooses to not lash out, His goodness shouts. In the passionate sound of a moving song, His goodness shouts. His goodness shouts through the smiles of the sick. His goodness is heard through the companionship of a dog, and the joy they bring. His goodness shouts in the smile of a stranger, in the card of a friend, and in the hug from a brother or a sister. His goodness shouts in the confession of sin, in the heart of repentance, and in the freedom of newness. I can hear His goodness in the protection of a father for his daughter, and in the love of a mother for her son. His goodness shouts in the midst of pain so deep and heart wrenching, that even there, in that place - we stand, we move again. His goodness shouts in our eyes that allow us to see past the now, having hope for the future. His goodness shouts in the heart that believes people can change. His goodness shouts. In pain, in loss, in sorrow, in joy, in friendship, in death, in birth, in emptiness, in plenty, in want, in happy days, in love, in anger, in fun, in us. In us...His goodness shouts. And it always will. Why? Because that's who He is, that's what He does. That's why we are here. In you, in me, in all of us, His goodness shouts and is heard from the tallest mountain to the deepest valley. In us, His goodness shouts. In our lives His goodness rings out. No matter if you are homeless in the soup kitchen, or famous in LA. No matter if you have made mistakes that the world labels unforgivable and nonredeemable. If a father who sits in his lonely large home grieving the loss of his entire family can hear God's goodness shouting, I can. If an African orphan who was made to shoot his parents then eat them can hear God's goodness shouting, I can. If a married couple who lost a three year old twin boy to a drowning can hear God's goodness shouting, I can. If a pregnant woman looses all five babies in her womb right before they are to come in this world can hear God's goodness shouting, I can. If the homeless who have lost it all and have no hope can hear God's goodness shouting, I can. If the innocent prisoner who has no hope for freedom can hear God's goodness shouting, I can. You see, this life does stink at times. There are times we want to escape for sure. God's goodness shouting can sound like a whisper at times, I know. But the fact remains: He is shouting. In the middle of a hard and lonely journey or one that is filled with relationships...His goodness shouts. Look for it and you will find it. Listen for it and you will hear. In everything, there is a sound of His goodness. There is a sound of what His goodness wants to do, whats to bring, wants to change, wants to restore. It shouts through mankind, through the steadfastness of the hurting, though the freedom of the prisoner, through the smile of the broken, through the surrender of the proud, through the patience of the busy, through the laughter of the oppressed, though the prayers of the weary, through the grateful hearts of the poor, through the peace of the angry. Listen for it, because if you don't hear it now, you will. It was here before we were, and it will live on past our memory. God's goodness is shouting and I long to hear.