THE GOODNESS OF GOD

~Psalm 107:1-9~

Dr. Venus L. Butler, Associate Minister

¹Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

²Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, ³And gathered out of the lands, From the east and from the west, From the north and from the south. ⁴They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; They found no city to dwell in. ⁵Hungry and thirsty,Their soul fainted in them. ⁶Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,And He delivered them out of their distresses. ⁷And He led them forth by the right way,That they might go to a city for a dwelling place. ⁸Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! ⁹For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness. Psalm 107:1-9 NKJV

The month of March is recognized as Women’s History Month. We all have many women in our lives to love, honor, respect, praise and celebrate throughout this month; as well as every day of our lives. We have grandmothers, mothers, wives, aunties, sisters, cousins, girlfriends, role models and mentors. As well as members within our various churches, co-workers, and neighbors. Women, who have prayed for us, encouraged us, supported us, and those who have journeyed before us and with us on this path of life.



Women’s History Month began as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California. The Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women planned and executed a “Women’s History Week” celebration in 1978. The organizers selected the week of March 8 to correspond with International Women’s Day. The movement spread across the country as other communities initiated their own Women’s History Week celebrations the following year.

In 1980, a consortium of women’s groups and historians—led by the National Women’s History Project (now the National Women's History Alliance)—successfully lobbied for national recognition. In February 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the Week of March 8th 1980 as National Women’s History Week. 

Subsequent Presidents continued to proclaim a National Women’s History Week in March until 1987 when Congress passed a law designating March as “Women’s History Month.” During this month we celebrate the contributions women have made to the United States and recognize the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields.

The National Women’s History Alliance selects and publishes the yearly theme. 

The National Women’s History Month’s theme for 2024 celebrates, “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.” The theme recognizes women throughout the country who understand that, for a positive future, we need to eliminate bias and discrimination entirely from our lives and institutions.



Pastor Williams S. Epps declared the following statement in the March Newsletter:

Let's combat misogyny (hatred or prejudice against women) by recognizing the value and worth of females as we embrace their contributions which have maintained and sustained the stability of society, culture and life, world-wide, despite the challenges, hindrances and obstacles that women have had to overcome and work around and make the most of the worst and the best of the better. Let us change the cycle of misogyny and sexism and become a society of philogynists (a society that admires, honors, and acknowledges women’s contribution to society and the world with the recognition they deserve).

Consider the many women that God has placed in your life and how

they have made a contribution to your overall well-being.

As we focus on our text and the Goodness of God, the writer and occasion of

Psalm 107 are unknown. It probably was composed during the early postexilic period. This Psalm celebrated Israel’s return from exile in foreign lands. Psalm 107 begins with an invitation to those who have been redeemed from exile in Babylon to join in grateful confession of God’s mercy and lovingkindness. Israelites from the four corners of the earth returned to join the newly-founded community in Jerusalem. The text states, in Psalm 107:1-3, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for God is good! For God’s mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom God has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, and gathered out of the lands from the east and from the west, from the north and the south.

The psalmist appears to be in a joyful mood, as he praises God and gives thanks.

He describes God as being good and we have often heard the phrase, “God is good – all the time – all the time - God is good!” He thanks God for mercy, “for looking beyond his faults and supplying his needs.” The psalmist knows that he and the people of Israel had been forgiven or pardoned for their sin. The psalmist proclaims, “Let the redeemed of the Lord, say so!” Proclaim that God has touched your life. As the song writer would sing, “Picked me up, turned me around, and planted my feet on solid ground.” If God has done anything for you, “You must tell somebody!” We must continue to tell the story.

He was saved, rescued from the enemy and led by God out of the land. The psalmist praises God for forgiveness, deliverance, and salvation. God’s power is far reaching, because God is omnipotent and omnipresent. The world belongs to God.

Consider how you express giving thanks to God, through prayer,

reflections, in the context of worship, conversations, etc.

The people were wandering in the wilderness without a city to dwell in. They were hungry and thirsty, and became weak. Their soul fainted in them. Then they called upon the Lord, they cried out to the Lord in their trouble and God heard their cry and delivered them out of their distress. God led them in the right path. (Psalm 107:4-7)

The psalmist declares that we must give thanks to the Lord for God’s goodness and wonderful works. God satisfied the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with goodness. Someone may be crying out to the Lord today, but God is so good, God knows exactly what you need, even before you cry out! Even before you speak a word, because, that’s the kind of God we serve! God is all knowing, God is omniscient! (Psalm 107:8-9)

As we address the definitions in the text, the people had been redeemed, which means: delivered, having been saved from sin or its consequences. Deliverance also means saved from adversity. The people received God’s mercy: compassion, forgiveness, or lovingkindness, shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.

Consider a time in your life where you were faced with challenges, and reflect

on how God enabled you to move through those adverse circumstances.

The goodness of God was demonstrated at the very beginning of the Bible, in the Book of Genesis. As God created the heavens and the earth, and every living creature that dwell upon it. God created male and female and God looked upon the creation and called it “good.” One passage that is often overlooked in Genesis is chapter 1:27-28, “So God created man in God’s image, in the image of God, God created him; male and female God created them. Then God Blessed them, and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.' Then God saw everything that God had made, and indeed it was very good." Genesis 1:31a

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for God is Good!

During Women’s History Month we pause to reflect upon some of the women in the Bible who were delivered and those who were set free as a result of the ‘Goodness of God.’

Miriam is described in the Bible as the daughter of Amran and Jochebed, and the older sister of Moses and Aaron. She was a prophetess and first appears in the Book of Exodus. Scripture describes her alongside of Moses and Aaron as delivering the Jews from exile in Egypt: "For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam," Micah 6:4.

According to the Book of Judges, Deborah was a prophetess of Judaism, the fourth 

Judge of Israel, and the only female judge mentioned in the Bible, Judges 4-5. The Bible portrays other women’s stories who were considered victors, leaders, and heroines. Stories include Hagar, Tamar, Rahab, Esther, are considered to be among many female "saviors" of Israel. 

According to J. Alfred Smith Sr., Huldah the prophetess in 1 Kings 22:14-20, interpreted to King Josiah the meaning of “the Book of the Law” that had been found in the temple in Jerusalem in the 7^th c. BC. Over and over Huldah declared to King Josiah, “This is what the Lord says…”

The New Testament refers to a number of women in Jesus’ inner circle, and He is generally seen by scholars as dealing with women with respect and even equality. New Testament scholars state, "Jesus broke with both biblical and rabbinic traditions that restricted women's roles in religious practices, and he rejected attempts to devalue the worth of a woman, or her word of witness."

There were many women in the Bible who reflected the goodness of God in their relationships with Jesus as they were delivered and set free: Mary the mother of Jesus, the prophetess Anna, The Woman at the Well, the woman caught in adultery, Anna, Mary and Martha, the Syrophonecian woman and others. Women whose lives were transformed as they were touched by Jesus and as they had a close encounter with the Lord. Women who were blessed, delivered, and used to fulfill God’s purpose for their lives.

Consider the many women who are mentioned in the Old Testament and

the New Testament and select two women and share their stories with others.

The National Women’s History Month’s theme for 2024 celebrates, “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.” There are many examples of women, past and present who reflect the goodness of God.

We remember and honor Rosa Parks who was a good citizen, church worker, and activist for racial justice. She had served as secretary of the local NAACP and was one of the most respected persons in the black community. Her character and dedication to others helped to arouse a large number of blacks to participate in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The bus boycott lasted for about a year. On December 20, 1956, word came to of the decision” of the U.S. Supreme Court that segregation on buses in Alabama was unconstitutional. One black bystander summed the matter up as divine intervention: “God Almighty has spoken from Washington, D.C.”

Dr. Lorn Foster, a member of Second Baptist and facilitator for our Black History Class, recently highlighted Fannie Lou Hamer, who was the Vice Chair of the Freedom Democratic Party and was their Representative at the Democratic National Convention in 1964. She was an American Voting and Woman’s Rights Activist and a leader in the Civil Rights Movement.

Valerie McDonald, President of Christian Women on the Move, reported, “And, just in time for Women’s History Month, Regina King will star as Shirley Chisholm in SHIRLEY (Unbought and Unbossed) --the story of the first Black congresswoman and her trailblazing run for president of the United States.”

Misty Copeland made history as the first African American Female Principal Dancer with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre on July 1, 2015. She is also the author of the children’s book, “Bunheads”.

Kamala Harris – First African American Vice President, 2020. Prior to that, in 2017 she had become California’s first African American Senator.

On January 10, 2022 the Maya Angelou quarter was the first in the U.S. Mint’s American Women Quarter’s Program which includes coins featuring prominent women in U.S. history.

On April 11, 2022, The U.S. Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman to serve as a Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Karen Bass is the 43rd Mayor of Los Angeles and the first woman and only the second African American to be elected as the city's chief executive.

We live at a time when women serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, in both houses of Congress, and as a U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations; as columnists for national newspapers and hosts of their own nationally syndicated TV shows. Women serve as city mayors and state governors. Women serve as corporate executives, college presidents, financial managers, professional athletes, entertainment mega-stars, and cutting-edge scholars in every field of inquiry. The role of women in society has been turned upside down from the first to the twenty-first century.

Consider the list above and reflect upon those women who are not listed

and thank God for the achievements of women!

How do we experience the Goodness of God?

God has been so good to us in so many ways. If we just think about the question for a moment, you probably will have a flood of ideas and thoughts running through your mind. God has given to us the very breath of life, and our mind, body, spirit and soul. We were born into a family, and are in relationship with others in our church, community, and society. God supplies everything that we need. God is good! Each new day is a gift from God! The earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof and everything that dwells within.

An update on COVID has reported that it is no longer necessary to quarantine for five days, if there is no fever. We know we must still be cautious. Pastor Epps emphasizes the fact that God has confidence is us! God has faith in us to carry on the work and ministry of the Church, the family, and society as a whole. God is for us and not against us! This is good news!  If God had not redeemed God’s people, the story would never have been told from generation to generation. Because of God’s great, unfailing love for us - the story continues to be told. God has been so good and we must tell somebody!

God’s goodness was revealed in the fact that God gave His only son, to die on the cross at Calvary, and those who believe in Him, will not perish but will have the gift of eternal life! Jesus - who was fully human and fully divine, who was born of a woman called Mary. Jesus – who walked this earth and during this Lenten season we reflect and remember His final days as He journeyed to the cross. God’s goodness revealed in Jesus – as the word became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus demonstrated His goodness as He taught us how to love, how to live, how to serve, how to be a witness to His life, ministry, crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension!

When people met Jesus along the way, their lives were forever changed. When Jesus came into our lives, we became a new creature, for the old self had passed away and we became new – as sons and daughters of God!

Consider the various way you have experienced the goodness of God.

Are you comfortable sharing your story with others?

We must remember God’s goodness! Four years ago, in March 2020, we experienced the COVID-19 Global Pandemic. Now it is March 2024. Let’s stop right now and just say, “Thank you! Thank you, Lord, for your goodness! Thank you, Lord, for your Mercy! Thank you, Lord, for your Forgiveness! Thank you, Lord for your Love! Thank you, Lord, for the gift of Salvation! Thank you, Lord! Don’t let this month pass you by without reflecting on the past four years. Give Thanks! Remember! And Tell somebody! Tell somebody how the Lord has brought you through to see the year 2024!

Yes, this is Woman’s History Month, but we all have a story to tell - men, women and children – we all have a story to share.

The goodness of God enabled new births, new life, as babies were born during the pandemic. Some have even used the term, “quarantine babies!” Research has revealed that the COVID 19 Pandemic impacted childbearing rates in the U.S. There was an increase of 40,000 births between 2020-2021, and approximately 134,000 births from January 2022 to February 2023. Praise God! We have been blessed with new babies in our congregation, the next generation and a blessing from God.

In the appointed text, it begins with the goodness of God and it ends with the goodness of God. “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for God is Good! For God’s mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!” This Psalm is about people whom God has redeemed, sharing their stories with others and praising God for what God has done, what God is doing in the present, as we look forward to the future. Amen

Consider how your life was impacted by the Pandemic of 2020 and give

thanks to God for the blessing of 2024!