"While I was musing the fire burned"_literally! (See Psa. 39:3). My musings had been on "the
goodness of God,” and it was this goodness which recently spared us our home.

The goodness of God was first made known to us when we were in our sins, and it led us to
repentance (Rom. 2:4). Alas! that the hearts of men today so slowly respond to this goodness!

We who know Him can exclaim with the Psalmist, "Thou crownest the year with thy goodness"
(Psa. 65:11); and, amid all the varied circumstances of life, "the goodness of God endureth
continually" (Psa. 52:1). "Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his
wonderful works to the children of men!" (Psa. 107).

In Psa. 23:6, we have, as someone has said, the two sheep dogs, "goodness and mercy," following
us all the days of our life. With the Shepherd Himself going before us (John 10:4) and goodness
and mercy following us, we are well guarded and cared for. "Oh how great is Thy goodness!"
(See Psa. 31:19 and Zech. 9:17).

At the close of the great feast in Solomon’s day, he sent the people home "glad and merry in heart
for the goodness that the Lord had showed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel His people"
(2 Chron. 7:10).

"O Lord … let thy saints rejoice in goodness" as they review their pathway down here (n Chron.
6:41) "joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord hath done" (See I Kings 8:66).

In our collective testimony, may we never forsake "the assembling of ourselves together" (Heb.
10:25), and surely "we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house" (Psa. 65:4). Thus shall
we be enabled to "abundantly utter the memory of" His great goodness (Psa. 145:7); and look
forward to the time when His people shall be satisfied with His goodness (Jer 31:14)_yea, we
shall be satisfied when we awake with His likeness (See Psa. 17:15).

May we ever delight ourselves in His great goodness! As we muse, may the fire burn, that we
may be burning and shining lights the little while He sees fit to leave us here.

"Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling,
and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:that the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in Him, according to the grace of our
God and the Lord Jesus Christ" (II Thess. 1:11,12).