“For my people are foolish, they do not know me; they are stupid children, they have no understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but do not know how to do good.”
Jeremiah 4:22 NRSV

https://bible.com/bible/2016/jer.4.22.NRSV

They have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse; there is no one who does good, no, not one.
Psalms 14:3 NRSV

https://bible.com/bible/2016/psa.14.3.NRSV

I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 1:12‭-‬14 NRSV

https://bible.com/bible/2016/1ti.1.12-14.NRSV

So he told them this parable: “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Luke 15:3‭-‬7 NRSV

https://bible.com/bible/2016/luk.15.3-7.NRSV

Love is not desire — it is to will the good of others. … We love something or someone when we promote it’s good for its own sake.

Dallas Willard

In this week in our United Kingdom, might we understand more what good looks like? From all the comments after the death of our dear Queen it is evident that as a nation we reach out for goodness. As people of all nations, we yearn that good will be done and celebrate the good. Yes hearts are corrupt and people are broken, we are broken, but we know what good looks like.

True goodness is found in God, who is love. Good calls us to the good.

This morning we felt to pray that those in power would be broken by love and speak freely of its power, that in the name of Jesus good would be done.