Goodness of God

 Listening to the lyrics of Goodness of God, especially the part that says, "Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me," might make us wonder, "Does God's goodness really chase us?" It's a good question. Are we just the ones seeking God, or is His goodness actively pursuing us? Since it’s important to align our music with scripture, especially when teaching kids, it is important to look to the Word.

First, it’s important not to lean too heavily on our own reasoning when interpreting scripture. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." In Isaiah 55:8-9, God also makes it clear that His ways and thoughts are far beyond ours. So when something is in the Bible, we accept it. When it’s not, we have to be careful not to impose our own ideas on it. That’s why it’s risky to say, "Well, it makes sense that..." when talking about God. Scripture, which is inspired (2 Timothy 3:16-17), is our foundation for truth.

One concern people sometimes have with lyrics like this is the idea that God doesn’t "chase" us—that it’s up to us to seek Him. And it’s true that we are called to seek God. For example, in Joshua 24:15, we are told to "choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve." Similarly, Isaiah 55:6 says, "Seek the Lord while He may be found." These verses place responsibility on us to seek and choose God.

But does that mean God’s goodness isn’t also pursuing us? The Bible has something to say about that too. For instance, Psalm 23:6 declares, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." The word "follow" here is the Hebrew word radap, which means "to pursue" or "to chase." This suggests that God’s goodness, in particular, is actively seeking after us. It’s not passive; His goodness is in pursuit.

While God Himself doesn’t "chase" us in the sense that He forces us to turn to Him, His goodness and mercy are always present, encouraging and drawing us toward Him. The entirety of Psalm 23 tells of the ways that God's goodness follows us throughout our lives, not waiting passively but pursuing us with the intention of guiding us toward His blessings and love.

We can also see examples of this in other parts of scripture, such as John 6:44, where Jesus says, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him." The word "draw" here implies that God’s grace is at work in our hearts, pulling us toward Him.

God’s goodness—His blessings, mercy, and grace—are always running after us. But we still have the responsibility to seek Him and respond to His call. Like the shepherd in Luke 15:4-7 who searches for the lost sheep, God’s goodness is on a mission to reach us. Revelation 3:20 reminds us that God took the step to come to the door but it is our responsibility to open when He knocks.

In conclusion, when the song says, "Your goodness is running after me," I believe it aligns with scripture in that it speaks to the active, pursuing nature of God’s goodness. While we are called to seek God, His goodness is always chasing after us, drawing us closer to Him so that we can experience the fullness of life in Him. Psalm 23:6 reminds us that His goodness and mercy are not passive but persistent in their pursuit of our hearts