The goodness of Jesus

🛐 Daily Prayer: "We confess before you how unworthy we have been of all your goodness"

Author

SpurgeonBooks
June 18, 2025

Pray with Spurgeon

Daily Newsletter from SpurgeonBooks

DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Truly God is good to Israel, even to those who have a clean heart. Your people desire to set their seal to this, and to acknowledge that you are overflowing goodness. Oh blessed God, you have remembered both our earthly and our spiritual wants; you have lifted us up from the gates of the grave, delivered our soul from death, our eyes from tears, and our feet from falling. You have dealt well with your servants, oh Lord, according to your word. There is no one who deals so bountifully.

And now, Lord, will you listen to us while we confess before you how unworthy we have been of all your goodness; for we are a sinful generation, even as our fathers were? But we bless you that no one can lay anything to the charge of your people, seeing all was laid on Christ. Despite our faults, we stand accepted in the Beloved; for which again we praise you.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“The LORD is good, a stronghold in a day of distress; he cares for those who take refuge in him. But he will completely destroy Nineveh with an overwhelming flood, and he will chase his enemies into darkness.” (Nahum 1:7–8)

Some say that if God is good, it cannot be that the wicked will be cast into hell. According to them the ungodly will not be punished.

The child of God, however, says that though they will certainly be cast into hell, God is good for all that. It is true that he will punish sin and punish it everlastingly, but God is good for all that. You may make for yourselves another god and call him God, but the Christian says, “The Lord is good. God is eternally and unchangeably good. He cannot be better; he cannot be worse—he is absolutely perfect. There can be no improvement, and there can be no depreciation in him.”

PRAY FOR THE NATIONS

This week, we’re praying for the Bonan of China.

A missionary has never been to the Bonan, but missionaries did go to a neighboring tribe in the 1950’s, the Salar. Almost 100 years later, the gospel is beginning to spread among the Salar!

Pray that God would raise up missionaries from among his people of the Salar who will bring the gospel to the Bonan.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Show Your Kids the Goodness of God

All of Scripture clearly proclaims the goodness of God, but resources that teach the Bible to kids often just preach about our goodness: “Be good. Do good. Follow the rules.”

I’m not opposed to teaching kids to honor God with all of their lives, but obedience without treasuring God will send your kids straight to hell. Our kids need more than morals; they need Jesus.

God Centered Family is my series of family devotions that will show your kids every day that the goodness of God in Jesus is the main point of every Bible story.

These devotionals cover every chapter of the Bible (not just the popular stories) and it’s all centered on God (not our good works).

I LOVE hearing from parents about how these devotionals have changed the culture of their family and the rhythms of their home.

I know that the summer is a challenging time to start a new habit, but we can’t afford to wait — we need to teach our kids the goodness of God TODAY. God Centered Family will give you a realistic guide that will leave your kids wanting more.

FAITH’S CHECKBOOK

Spurgeon’s classic devotional, The Chequebook of the Bank of Faith, contains a promise of God for every day of the year. Pray with Spurgeon Plus subscribers receive the daily readings every weekday.

If you want to strengthen your faith in God’s promises (and support this ministry!), subscribe to Pray with Spurgeon Plus here.

“‘Now I will rise up,’ says the LORD. ‘Now I will lift myself up. Now I will be exalted.’” (Isaiah 33:10)

When the conquerors had made the land like a wasteland as if devoured by locusts and the warriors who had defended the country sat down and wept like women, then the Lord came to the rescue. When travelers ceased from the roads to Zion, and Bashan and Carmel were like vineyards from which the fruit had failed, then the Lord arose. God is exalted in the midst of an afflicted people, for they seek his face and trust him. He is still more exalted when he lifts up himself to deliver them and overthrow their enemies in response to their cries.

Are we facing a day of sorrow? Let us now expect to see the Lord glorified as he delivers us. Are we drawn out in fervent prayer? Do we cry day and night unto him? Then the set time for his grace is near. God will lift himself up at the right time. He will arise when it will best display his glory. We wish for his glory more than we long for our own deliverance. Let the Lord be exalted and our chief desire is obtained.

Lord, help us in such a way that we may see that you yourself are working. May we magnify you in our innermost souls. Make everyone here see how good and great a God you are.

Something to think about today if you’re facing sorrow: Let us now expect to see the Lord glorified as he delivers us.

LAST WORD FROM SPURGEON

“Every day, we need God’s goodness to supply our needs and his mercy to blot out our sins.” — Charles Spurgeon