God Is Good!

Recipe: Lemon Drop Cake)
This past Sunday in Sunday School we had a lesson on “God’s Goodness”. Too often we miss out what God is trying to show us, or perhaps give to us. From the book, “God As He Longs For You To See Him” by Chip Ingram, Chip says, “The word goodness often refers to that quality in God that causes him to bless people, deliver them, and store up future gifts for them. It implies a sense of delight in the one giving and the gift given. God’s goodness is pleasant, desirable, fair, and generous.” Psalm 84:11, “For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.” Has God been good to you today?

Ever hear of those Good and Plenty candies? Of all the candies I enjoy, Good & Plenty is near the top of the list. Life is good when I have a handful of those luscious, sugar-coated licorice pieces! I Love licorice. I am the first to dig out all the licorice jelly beans! I’m so glad no one else in my family loves them like I do. Leaves them all for ME.

There are a lot of good things in life. But like a feast of Good & Plenty, the goodness is soon over. Even the best of the good things can afterward leave us feeling empty and even regretful. So when the psalmist declares, “I said to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord, apart from You I have no good thing’” (Ps. 16:2 NIV), I am intrigued. We all know that God is good. But when was the last time we embraced Him as the ultimate good in our life?

The psalmist in Psalm 16 explains just how good God really is: He is our preserver (v.1), our total goodness-giver (v.2), our counsel and instructor (v.7), and the One who makes known “the path of life” and fills us with “joy in His presence” (v.11). Now that’s what I call good!

Unfortunately, too often we let lesser “goods” eclipse our acceptance of the everlasting goodness of God in our lives. The fleeting nature of lesser goods will ultimately disappoint us—you can count on it. Only God is truly good! And there is plenty of Him for all we need. Indeed, God is Good... and Plenty enough!! (excerpts by Joel Stowell).
God alone is good. Don’t settle for second best.

Lemon Drop Cake

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist lemon cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 C. powdered sugar
¼ C. fresh squeezed lemon juice (1 large lemon)
1 Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy lemon frosting

Heat oven to 350. Line two 8” square pans with foil, letting foil hang 2” over 2 opposite sides of pans. Grease or spray bottoms and sides of foil

Make cake batter as directed on box. Pour into pans. Bake 25-32 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes

In small bowl mix powdered sugar and lemon juice. Poke top of warm cake every ½ “ with a long-tined fork, wiping fork occasionally to reduce sticking. Drizzle and spread lemon mixture over top of cake. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled. Remove cakes from pans by lifting with foil; peel foil away.

In small microwave-safe bowl, microwave frosting, uncovered, on high 15 seconds. On serving plate place 1 cake, rounded side down. spread with half of frosting. Top with second cake, rounded side up. Frost top of cake. Garnish with lemon drop candies. Store loosely, covered.