[New] Is God good? A special Remembrance Ceremony held annually in Maleny

THERE is a growing movement across Australia to acknowledge the realities of the ‘Homeland’ conflicts in our history.

For several years now in Maleny, and surrounding district, there has been an increasing number of people who have assembled on 26 January each year, who gather to acknowledge some of the human dimensions of those conflicts.

A Ceremony of Remembrance honouring the First Peoples of this land, who lost their lives and country through the dispossession that began on 26 January, 1788, will be held on Thursday, 26 January, 2023, commencing at 10am.

The Ceremony is open to the public. Anyone who wishes to attend can do so.

The Ceremony comprises acknowledgment of country, symbolic rituals, quoted excerpts on Australian history from noted Australian historians, poetry, music, and a time for silent meditative remembrance.

The event provides an opportunity for those in the Hinterland Region to remember and honour those who died seeking to defend, and to retain, their ancient homeland which is now called Australia.

IT’S a great question, and also an incredibly important one because existence certainly doesn’t equate to goodness. To love, serve and have a relationship with someone means we have to believe in them, and know that they are good and can be trusted.

The age old question is “If God is good, then why are these bad things happening to me?”

From the Beginning “All was Good!”

“God saw all that He had made, and it was very good” Genesis 1:31

The serpent in the garden questioned and lied to Eve about God’s goodness which resulted in Eve believing that God wasn’t fair or couldn’t be trusted.

The fall of mankind, changed the world, as it lost the fullness of God’s glory. As a result of living in a world that is broken by sin, there are negative consequences for 1. He Satisfies – He makes me to lie down in green pastures; 2. He Restores - He Restores my Soul 3. He Guides - He leads me in the paths of righteousness, For His name’s sake. 4. He Protects - Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; 5. He Blesses - Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; Jesus introduced himself as “The Good Shepherd”. He was declaring that the nature of God is Good, and backed it up by saying “and I lay down my life for the sheep”.

The fact that we live in a broken world, does not change the nature of God.

In the well-known 23rd Psalm, David lists 5 things about the Goodness of God.

Life’s not fair.,. But God is good!