Life has a funny way, well, maybe not so funny, but a way of throwing twists and turns at us, that in our opinion, are less than desirable. It might be a financial reversal or destruction, or it may be a catastrophic health related issue. It could be the loss of a loved one coming quite unexpectedly, or a relationship that is no longer viable. Whatever the twist or turn, it can be difficult to walk through those times, much less make any sense out of them. But as Christians, there is God’s promise that He is there and working it out for our good. Romans 8:28 “We are assured and know that [[a]God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.” (Amplified Bible) I chose the Amplified version of this verse, to hopefully expand our insight and understanding. I once heard a pastor say that “nothing is wasted in God’s economy,” and I believe that is exactly what this verse means. There is nothing that can happen to us that God will not, and cannot, use for good in our lives……if we LOVE Him. I don’t think there is any better source, for the definition of the word love, than in what is called the “love” chapter in the Bible, I Corinthians 13. “Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. (1 Corinthians 13: 5, 7) In reading these verses, I see hardness in my own heart that is the result of not having THAT “love” for Him. My only response is to cry out for mercy, and grace to lead me into that love. In closing, I would like to leave you with a poem by Annie Johnson Flint (1866-1932), praying it ignites the smallest burning ember of hope and love in your heart, a love that does not disappoint. In a factory building there are wheels and gearings, There are cranks and pulleys, beltings tight or slack— Some are whirling swiftly, some are turning slowly, Some are thrusting forward, some are pulling back; Some are smooth and silent; some are rough and noisy, Pounding, rattling, clanking, moving with a jerk; *** In a wild confusion in a seeming chaos, Lifting, pushing, driving—but they do their work. From the mightiest lever to the tiniest pinion, All things move together for the purpose planned; And behind the working is a mind controlling, And a force directing, and a guiding hand. *** So all things are working for the Lord’s beloved; Some things might be hurtful if alone they stood; Some might seem to hinder; some might draw us backward; But they work together, and they work for good, All the thwarted longings, all the stern denials, All the contradictions, hard to understand. And the force that holds them, speeds them and retards them, Stops and starts and guides them—is our Father’s hand. (Annie Johnson Flint)
Posted on: Thu, 23 Jan 2014 22:12:36 +0000
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