04/01/2026
On the Hill of His Goodness 🤍
As women, we often live in the "performance trap." We fall into the trap of “The lie of Worthiness”. We feel loved on the days we are patient with our kids, consistent in our Bible study, and kind to our neighbors. But on the days we fail, when the "wood" of our responsibilities feels too heavy and our tempers are short, we may secretly feel like God’s love retreats. We may even think we have to be worthy to be cherished.
The story of the first Easter actually began thousands of years ago on a mountain ridge called Moriah. Recently in our Bible study we have been connecting Old Testament Scripture with New Testament Scripture. We have looked at the Old Testament story of Abraham and how it parallels with the story in the New Testament of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
When Abraham led Isaac up that hill, carrying the wood that would be used in his sacrifice, Isaac asked the question "Where is the lamb?" Isaac’s question, is the spiritual equivalent of us asking, “God, where is the breakthrough?” or “Where is the strength I need for this?” Like Isaac, we often find ourselves halfway up a mountain, carrying the burden of our responsibilities, realizing we are missing the one thing only God can provide. It is the moment our “worthiness” runs out and we have to start looking for His “goodness." What was Abraham’s answer to Isaac? "God himself will provide."
On that hill that day, God spared Abraham’s son. But on that same ridge centuries later at Calvary, God would not spare His own son. Why? Because His love for us isn't a reward for our "goodness", it is an overflow of His goodness. "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:32. It’s here that we begin to see the "Good" in Good Friday.
Matthew West’s lyrics remind us: “I am not loved because I’m worthy. I am loved because You’re good.” If God’s love was based on our worthiness, Easter would be impossible. We could never "earn" a Resurrection. We could never "work" our way out of the grave. There has to be a payment. What is that payment? As we saw in Romans 6:23, we earned the "wage" of death. But God, because He is good, offers us the "gift" of life.
When we celebrate Easter we celebrate the moment talked about in Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God didn't wait for us to get "good enough" or "worthy" before He stepped in. He saw our unworthiness (our sin) and decided that His goodness through the sacrifice of His only Son, would cover the gap while we were still at our worst. So what is your “Isaac”? What do you love most? What are you trying to "do" or "be" to prove you are worthy of God's love?
Take time to stop and remember to keep your eyes up on the “hill”. Take time to realize that the “ram”, the substitute sacrifice, wasn't at the bottom of the hill; it was at the top. Are you willing to trust His goodness even when you can't see the "ram" yet?
This Good Friday and Easter, as we celebrate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, when the enemy creeps in and whispers “you aren't enough”, stop and say out loud… ”You are right, I am not enough, but God is!!! Romans 5:8 says He loved me while I was still a sinner. I am loved because He is good.”
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8✝️
