Romans 8:28 - Triumph in Tragedy.
Romans 8:28 (NIV) And we know that in all
things God works for the good of those who love
him, who have been called according to his
purpose.
Romans 8:28 (CWR) We know that God will make
all things work out for our eventual good, as
long as we trust Him and remain true to the
purpose for which He called us.
COMMENTARY PEARL
One of the great fears you face in this
life is the fear of the future. You fear for the
future of your family, your friends, your job, your
community - and everything else in between.
Its natural. Youre not in control.
But that realization should drive you to trust
God more deeply.
You might not be in control of your
future, but God is. He created the whole universe.
If he wanted to, the Lord could just snap it
out of existence in a moment. Yet he is working
his plan in history. He is moving history to a
climax, a destiny. One day Jesus Christ will come
back to Earth. Nothing will stop that.
Just as God is working in history to move
events toward a particular moment, he will work in
your life for a purpose, too - if youll let
him.
The Bible says, And we know that God
causes everything to work together for the good of
those who love God and are called according to his
purpose for them (Romans 8:28 NLT).
Gods Word doesnt say that
everything is good. It also doesnt say that God
causes everything. He doesnt cause war. He
doesnt cause cancer. He doesnt cause rape,
abuse, or molestation. He doesnt cause evil.
People do that. God gives people the freedom to
choose. Evil is the price of that freedom.
But the Bible does say that God causes
everything to work together for good. He can take the
dumb, evil, and bad decisions youve made in
your life and use them for good if youll trust
him. Romans 8:28 isnt a promise for everyone,
though. Its for those who love God. Its
for those who trust God and say, Here, Lord,
you take all the broken pieces of my life and
put them together.
This is why, when I read the headlines
each day, I dont worry. Sure, there are a lot
of problems in the world today, but God is
still in control. God is still moving history to a
climax. And God is still moving his people toward
his best for them. One day God will work
everything out for his purpose.
Because God is in control, you can trust
him with everything - including the good, the
bad, and the ugly of your life. [Daily Devotional
by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
COMMENTARY
We knowThere are so many things we do
not know. We do not know if the economy will dip
or if our team will win. We do not know what
our spouse is thinking or how our kids will turn
out. We dont even know what we ought to
pray (Rom. 8:26). But according to Paul, we can
be absolutely certain about four things. We
know
1. God works. He is busy behind the
scenes, above the fray, within the fury. He hasnt
checked out or moved on. He is ceaseless and
tireless. He never stops working.
2. God works for the good. Not for our
comfort or pleasure or entertainment, but for our
ultimate good. Since he is the ultimate good, would
we expect anything less?
3. God works for the good of those who
love him. Behold the benefit of loving God! Make
his story your story, and your story takes on a
happy ending. Guaranteed. Being the author of our
salvation, he writes a salvation theme into our
biography.
4. God works in all things. Panta, in
Greek. Like panoramic or panacea or
pandemic. All-inclusive. God works, not through a few
things or through the good things, best things, or
easy things. But in all things God works.
Puppet in the hands of fortune or fate?
Not you. You are in the hands of a living,
loving God. Random collection of disconnected short
stories? Far from it. Your life is a crafted
narrative written by a good God, who is working toward
your supreme good. From Gods Story, Your Story
[Max Lucado Daily Devotional at maxlucado.com]
Do You Trust Him?
I know God knows what's best.
I know I don't.
I know he cares.
Such words come easily when the water is
calm. But when you're looking at a wrecked car or
a suspicious-looking mole, when war breaks out
or thieves break in, do you trust him?
Scripture, from Old Testament to New,
from prophets to poets to preachers, renders one
unanimous chorus: God directs the affairs of humanity.
No leaf falls without God's knowledge. No
dolphin gives birth without his permission. No wave
crashes on the shore apart from his calculation. God
has never been surprised. Not once.
I am the one who creates the light and
makes the darkness. I am the one who sends good
times and bad times. I, the Lord, am the one who
does these things. (Isa. 45:7)
Some find the thought impossible to
accept. One dear woman did. After I shared these
ideas in a public setting, she asked to speak with
me. Husband at her side, she related the story
of her horrible childhood. First abused, then
abandoned by her father. Unimaginable and undeserved
hurts scar her early memories. Through tear-filled
eyes she asked, "Do you mean to tell me God was
watching the whole time?"
The question vibrated in the room. I
shifted in my chair and answered, "Yes, he was. I
don't know why he allowed your abuse, but I do
know this. He loves you and hurts with you." She
didn't like the answer. But dare we say anything
else? Dare we suggest that God dozed off?
Abandoned his post? That heaven sees but can't act?
That our Father is kind but not strong, or strong
but doesn't care?
I wish she could have spoken to Joseph.
His brothers abused him, selling him into
slavery. Was God watching? Yes. And our sovereign God
used their rebellious hearts to save a nation
from famine and the family of the Messiah from
extinction. As Joseph told them, "God turned into good
what you meant for evil" (Gen. 50:20).
Best of all would have been a
conversation with Jesus himself. He begged God for a
different itinerary: a crossless death. From
Gethsemane's garden Christ pleaded for a Plan B.
Redemption with no nails. " Father, if you are
willing, please take this cup of suffering away from
me. Yet I want your will, not mine.' Then an
angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him"
(Luke 22:42-43).
Did God hear the prayer of his Son?
Enough to send an angel. Did God spare his Son from
death? No. The glory of God outranked the comfort
of Christ. So Christ suffered, and God's grace
was displayed and deployed.
Are you called to endure a Gethsemane
season? Have you "been granted for Christ's sake,
not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer
for His sake" (Phil. 1:29 NASB)?
If so, then come thirsty and drink deeply
from his lordship. He authors all itineraries. He
knows what is best. No struggle will come your way
apart from his purpose, presence, and permission.
What encouragement this brings! You are never the
victim of nature or the prey of fate. Chance is
eliminated. You are more than a weather vane whipped
about by the winds of fortune. Would God truly
abandon you to the whims of drug-crazed thieves,
greedy corporate raiders, or evil leaders? Perish
the thought!
When you pass through the waters, I will
be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not
overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will
not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
For I am the Lord your God. (Isa. 43:2-3
NASB)
We live beneath the protective palm of a
sovereign King who superintends every circumstance of
our lives and delights in doing us good.
Nothing comes your way that has not first
passed through the filter of his love.
Learn well the song of sovereignty: I
know God knows what's best. Pray humbly the
prayer of trust: "I trust your lordship. I belong
to you. Nothing comes to me that hasn't passed
through you."
A word of caution: the doctrine of
sovereignty challenges us. Study it gradually. Don't
share it capriciously. When someone you love faces
adversity, don't insensitively declare, "God is in
control." A cavalier tone can eclipse the right truth.
Be careful.
And be encouraged. God's ways are always
right. They may not make sense to us. They may be
mysterious, inexplicable, difficult, and even painful.
But they are right. "And we know that God causes
everything to work together for the good of those who
love God and are called according to his purpose
for them" (Rom. 8:28). [Max Lucado Daily
Devotional at maxlucado.com]
A Hope-Filled Heart
You and I live in a trashy world.
Unwanted garbage comes our way on a regular basis.
Havent you been handed a trash sack of mishaps and
heartaches? Sure you have. May I ask, what are you going
to do with it? You could hide it. Pretend it
isnt there. But sooner or later it will start to
stink. So what will you do?
If you follow the example of Christ,
youll learn to see tough times differently. God
wants you to have a hope-filled heart just
like Jesus. Wouldnt you want that? Jesus saw
his Fathers presence in the problem. Sure,
Max, but Jesus was God. I cant see the way he
saw. Not yet, maybe. But dont underestimate
Gods power. He can change the way you look at
life. [Max Lucado Daily Devotional at
maxlucado.com]
ILLUSTRATIONS
God is in the Crisis
Do you recite your woes more naturally
than you do heavens strength? No wonder
lifes tough. Youre assuming God isnt in this
crisis.
Isabel spent her first three and a half
years in a Nicaraguan orphanage. As with all
orphans, her odds of adoption diminished with time.
And then the door slammed on her finger! Why
would God permit this innocent girl to feel even
more pain? Might He be calling the attention of
Ryan Schnoke sitting in the playroom nearby? He
and his wife had been trying to adopt a child
for months! Ryan walked over, picked her up, and
comforted her. Several months later, Ryan and
Christina were close to giving up, and Ryan remembered
Isabel. Little Isabel is now growing up in a happy,
healthy home.
A finger in the door? God doesnt
manufacture pain, but He certainly puts it to use! Your
crisis? Youll get through this! From Youll
Get Through This [Max Lucado Daily Devotional at
maxlucado.com]
Learning to Trust the Master
A man and his dog are in the same car.
The dog howls
bright-moon-in-the-middle-of-the-night caterwauling howls. The man pleads,
promising a daily delivery of dog biscuit bouquets if
only the hound will hush. After all, its only
a car wash.
Never occurred to him - ahem, to me -
that the car wash would scare my dog. But it did.
Placing myself in her paws, I can see why. A huge,
noisy machine presses toward us, pounding our
window with water, banging against the door with
brushes. Duck! Were under attack.
Dont panic. The car wash was my
idea. Ive done this before. Its for
our own good. Ever tried to explain a car
wash to a canine? Dog dictionaries are minus the
words brush and detail job. My words fell on
fallen flaps. Nothing helped. She just did what
dogs do; she wailed.
Actually, she did what we do. Dont we
howl? Not at car washes perhaps but at hospital
stays and job transfers. Let the economy go south
or the kids move north, and we have a wail of a
time. And when our Master explains whats
happening, we react as if hes speaking Yalunka. We
dont understand a word he says.
Is your world wet and wild? Gods
greatest blessings often come costumed as disasters.
Some of you doubt it. How can God use cancer or
death or divorce? Simple.
Hes smarter than we are. He is to you
what I was to four-year-old Amy. I met her at a
bookstore. She asked me if I would sign her
childrens book. When I asked her name, she watched as
I began to write, To Amy
She stopped me right there. With wide
eyes and open mouth, she asked, How did you
know how to spell my name?
She was awed. You arent. You know the
difference between the knowledge of a child and an
adult. Can you imagine the difference between the
wisdom of a human and the wisdom of God? What is
impossible to us is like spelling Amy to him.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so
are My ways higher than your ways and My
thoughts than your thoughts (Isa. 55:9).
I keep taking Molly to the car wash.
Shes howling less. I dont think she
understands the machinery. Shes just learning to
trust her master.
Maybe well learn the same. [Max Lucado
Daily Devotional at maxlucado.com]
Its Going to Be Okay
Bill Tucker was sixteen years old when
his dad suffered a health crisis and
consequently had to leave his business. Even after Mr.
Tucker regained his health, the Tucker family
struggled financially, barely getting by.
Mr. Tucker, an entrepreneurial sort, came
up with an idea. He won the bid to reupholster
the chairs at the local movie theater. This
stunned his family. He had never stitched a seat. He
didnt even own a sewing apparatus. Still, he found
someone to teach him the skill and located an
industrial-strength machine. The family scraped together every
cent they had to buy it. They drained savings
accounts and dug coins out of the sofa. Finally, they
had enough.
It was a fine day when Bill road with his
dad to pick up the equipment. Bill remembers a
jovial, hour-long trip discussing the bright
horizons this new opportunity afforded them. They
loaded the machine in the back of their truck and
secured it right behind the cab. Mr. Tucker then
invited his son to drive home. Ill let Bill tell
you what happened next:
As we were driving along, we were
excited, and I, like any sixteen-year-old driver, was
probably not paying enough attention to my speed.
Just as we were turning on the cloverleaf to get
on the expressway, I will never ever, ever
forget watching that sewing machine, which was
already top-heavy, begin to tip. I slammed on the
brakes, but it was too late. I saw it go over the
side. I jumped out and ran around the back of the
truck. As I rounded the corner, I saw our hope and
our dream lying on its side in pieces. And then
I saw my dad just looking. All of his risk and
all of his endeavor and all of his struggling
and all of his dream, all of his hope to take
care of his family was lying there, shattered.
You know what comes next dont you?
Stupid, punk kid driving too fast, not paying
attention, ruined the family by taking away our
livelihood. But thats not what he said. He looked
right at me. Oh, Bill, I am so sorry. And he
walked over, put his arms around me, and said,
Son, this is going to be okay.
God is whispering the same to you. Those
are his arms you feel. Trust him. That is his
voice you hear. Believe him. Allow the only
decision maker in the universe to comfort you. Life
at times appears to fall to pieces, seem
irreparable. But its going to be okay. How can you
know? Because God so loved the world. If God can
make a billion galaxies, cant he make good out
of our bad and sense out of our faltering
lives? Of course he can. He is God. [Max Lucado
Daily Devotional at maxlucado.com]
A Mess for Good
Twenty years of marriage, three kids, and
now hes gone. Traded her in for a younger
model. She told me her story, and we prayed. Then I
said, It wont be painless or quick. But God
will use this mess for good. With Gods help
youll get through this.
Remember Joseph? Genesis 37:4 says his
brothers hated him. Far from home, they cast
him into a pit, leaving him for dead. A
murderous cover-up from the get go. Pits have no easy
exit. Josephs story got worse before it got
better. Yet in his explanation we find his
inspiration: You meant evil against me, he said,
but God meant it for good..." The very acts
intended to destroy Gods servant, turned out to
strengthen him.
The same will be said about you. You will
get through this! [Max Lucado Daily Devotional
at maxlucado.com]
CLOSING THOUGHT
God's One Great Goal
For those He foreknew He also predestined
to be conformed to the image of His Son. Romans
8:29
What is God's great goal in the universe
to which His energies are devoted? We have it
in our text for today. The Living Bible puts
this best, and I have no hesitation in saying
that although it is not regarded as a true
translation (it is, rather, a paraphrase), its rendering
of Romans 8:29 is one of the most exciting
things I have ever read. This is what it says: "For
from the very beginning God decided that those
who came to him . . . should become like his
Son." God's great energy and wisdom, working on
behalf of all Christians, is directed to making us
like His Son Jesus Christ. Of course this purpose
will only be fully realized in the world to come,
but while we are here, He is pursuing this same
purpose nevertheless.
It is only when we comprehend this that
we will be able to understand the purpose that
lies behind all our trials and difficulties.
Romans 8:28""We know that all things work
together for the good of those who love God""must
be read in connection with Romans 8:29. Because
God is committed to making us like His Son, His
wisdom goes to work on every trial that comes our
way in order to bring from it something that
will enrich our character and make us more like
Jesus Christ.
Infinite power is ruled by infinite
wisdom. He could deliver us and make our lives
comfortable, but in a fallen world this is not the best
purpose. Understanding this is crucial if we are to
live our lives the way God desires.
Father, forgive me that so often my goals
are diametrically opposed to Yours. Help me
bring my goals in line with Your goals. I shall
need Your help to adjust. Whatever happens, keep
me ever moving toward becoming more and more
like Jesus. Amen. [Every Day With Jesus Bible
with Selwyn Hughes devotional]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Come to Me for rest and refreshment. The
journey has been too much for you, and you are
bone-weary. Do not be ashamed of your exhaustion.
Instead, see it as an opportunity for Me to take
charge of your life.
Remember that I can fit everything into a
pattern for good, including the things you wish were
different. Start with where you are at this point in
time and space, accepting that this is where I
intend you to be. You will get through today one
step, one moment at a time. Your main
responsibility is to remain attentive to Me, letting Me
guide you through the many choices along your
pathway.
This sounds like an easy assignment, but
it is not. Your desire to live in My Presence
goes against the grain of "the world, the flesh,
and the devil." Much of your weariness results
from your constant battle against these
opponents. However you are on the path of My choosing,
so do not give up! Hope in Me, for you will
again praise Me for the help of My Presence. (Rom.
8:28; Psalm 42:11) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
Trust Me in every detail of your life.
Nothing is random in My kingdom. Everything that
happens fits into a pattern for good, to those who
love Me. Instead of trying to analyze the
intricacies of the pattern, focus your energy on
trusting Me and thanking Me at all times. Nothing is
wasted when you walk close to Me. Even your
mistakes and sins can be recycled into something
good, through My transforming grace.
While you were still living in darkness,
I began to shine the Light of My Presence into
your sin-stained life. Finally, I lifted you up
out of the mire into My marvelous Light. Having
sacrificed My very Life for you, I can be trusted in
every facet of your life. (Jer. 17:7; Rom. 8:28;
Psa 40:2; 1 Pet. 2:9) [Jesus Calling by Sarah
Young]
Don't be so hard on yourself. I can bring
good even out of your mistakes. Your finite mind
tends to look backward, longing to undo decisions
you have come to regret. This is a waste of time
and energy, leading only to frustration. Instead
of floundering in the past, release your
mistakes to Me. Look to Me in trust, anticipating
that My infinite creativity can weave both good
choices and bad into a lovely design.
Because you are human, you will continue
to make mistakes. Thinking that you should live
an error-free life is symptomatic of pride.
Your failures can be a source of blessing,
humbling you and giving you empathy for other people
in their weaknesses. Best of all, failure
highlights your dependence on Me. I am able to bring
beauty out of the morass of your mistakes. Trust
Me, and watch to see what I will do. (Rom. 8:28;
Mic. 7:7) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
Romans 8:28 - Triumph in Tragedy.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2019/20190521-2031.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides:
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Revelation Now by Pastor Doug Batchelor:
https://www.revelationnow.com/
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio (recent):
https://bible.awr.org/en/the-signs/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
