ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Tokonaki Sanuali 7, 2023 

Good, Yes, Very Good

‘Io, pea tā kuo lelei ‘aupito

GENESIS 1:31

AND GOD SAW EVERYTHING THAT HE HAD MADE, AND BEHOLD, IT WAS VERY GOOD.

SENESI 1:31

Pea na‘e ‘afio ‘a e ‘Otua ki he me‘a kotoa pē kuo ne ngaohi, pea tā kuo lelei ‘aupito. Pea na‘e efiafi, pea na‘e pongipongi; ko hono ‘aho ono ia.

The word tov can mean good, pleasant, desirable, usable, or beautiful. It is a word of affirmation, a kind of divine grin that spreads over the face of our creating God. But first the Lord uses his eyes. He didn't ruminate in his heart on the goodness of creation; he "saw" (ra'ah). Later, Hagar will even name him El Roi, the God who sees (Gen. 16:13). He assumes nothing. He makes sure. Before he says it's tov or tov me'od (me 'od means "very"), he opens his eyes to inspect his handiwork.

Later, when his good world had gone bad, God looked "down from heaven on the children of man" and saw that "there is none who does good [tov], not even one" (Ps. 14:2-3). So, in mercy, he became that one who does the good. Even the crowds saw it, proclaiming of Jesus, "He has done all things well" (Mark 7:37). If you want something done right, do it yourself. So God did. He did things right for us. And now, in Christ, he sees us not only as tou but as tov me'od. When he sees us, a smile erupts on his face, and we know that we "shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living" (Ps. 27:13).

Good and gracious Father, "you are my Lord; I have no good apart from you" (Ps. 16:2).