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[00:04] In today's First15, we're going to dive deeper into the reality of God's goodness. At every turn, just when I wonder how good God really is, He always has a plan to show me how truly loving and good He is. So as we begin, where are you questioning God's goodness today? When things go wrong, we get hurt. It's only natural to start questioning and building walls. But rather than going our own way, let's come before God with confidence, asking our questions and inviting Him to meet us in a meaningful way today. Welcome to the First15 Podcast. Our scripture for today comes from Psalm 27, verse 13. Scripture says, I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. God is good. What emotion does that fact stir up in you? I know for some, this phrase stirs up unspeakable joy, while others of us seem to be immune to its emotion in our lives. I believe the issue for many of us is that the phrase God is good is so frequently said and so infrequently experienced. For many of us, we are just told that God is good from a young age, but we are seldom given the chance to experience that goodness. Goodness is something meant to be experienced and then believed, not the other way around. David said that he would look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. He had already seen God's goodness in his life and believed that he would see it again. He knew for a fact that God was good and therefore he sought to experience that goodness. It's that same heart that the sons of Korah had in the famous Psalm 84, singing, How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts. My soul longs, yes faints, for the courts of the Lord. My heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. That sounds like the worship of a good God, a goodness that had been experienced. When was the last time you experienced the goodness of God? Psalm 33, 5 says, The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. God's goodness is here, just waiting to be experienced. James 1, 17 says, 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. God is always good, and every good and perfect gift you've received is from Him. He demonstrates His goodness to us in innumerable ways all the time. How is it then that we don't recognize it? How is it that we can be surrounded by God's goodness and not experience it? God has proven in Scripture that He works in our midst, demonstrating His goodness. But we have to take time to listen and respond to these demonstrations. In Psalm 27, God says to David, Seek my face. And David responds, My heart says to you, Your face, Lord, do I seek? When God says, Seek, He uses a Hebrew word that is meant for more than one person. God calls all of us, His people, to seek my face. Then in response, we are to say, Your face, Lord, do I seek? Take time in guided prayer to respond to God's invitation of goodness. Seek to look upon His face and to experience His goodness. He has laid a banquet table before you and is simply asking you to come and dine with Him. And next, respond to his goodness by telling the Lord these words from Psalm 27, verse eight. Scripture says, And last, make David's prayer yours today. Psalm 27 verse 4 says, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. Take time to make that prayer your own throughout your day today. Memorize it, write it on your heart, so that you can experience the goodness of God throughout your day. It only takes a minute to receive his presence, and have the joy and peace that can only be found in Christ Jesus. Thank you so much for listening to today's podcast. I'm Josh Miller with First15. There are so many ways to experience First15 wherever you are. You can sign up for our daily devotional email at first15.org, or you can download our app on your phone's app store. You can also follow us on Instagram or Facebook, where we post encouragement throughout the day. However you connect with First15, thank you for being a part of what God is doing here. Have a wonderful rest of your day, and may God bless you as you seek him.