A LITTLE MORE 8:28

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

After posting yesterday’s OFH, I received a little feedback from a good friend and mentor who asked that I return to my reference of Romans 8:28 and explore, re-evaluate and expand my thought from yesterday a little further; that thought that ALL things work for the GOOD; even the challenges and struggles in our lives. 

So rather than just lean on my interpretation of that passage or share it only through my lens, I thought I would tap a couple of my trusted “go-to’s” to lend a little insight to the passage from their perspective; that perhaps we could all uses a little clarification and expansion today!

So, while this OFH is a little heavier and longer, hang with it. There is some good insight about 8:28 to follow!

The first is an excerpt from Max Lucado’s powerful book on the subject of “difficult times”, YOU’LL GET THROUGH THIS: HOPE AND HELP FOR TURBULENT TIMES whose tagline is:

You’ll get through this.

It won’t be painless.

It won’t be quick.

But God will use this mess for good.

Don’t be foolish or naïve.

But don’t despair either.

With God’s help, you’ll get through this.

From Max:

God at times permits tragedies. He permits the ground to grow dry and stalks to grow bare. He allows Satan to unleash mayhem. But he doesn’t allow Satan to triumph. Isn’t this the promise of Romans 8:28: “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” (NIV)?

God promises to render beauty out of “all things,” not “each thing.” The isolated events may be evil, but the ultimate culmination is good.

We see small examples of this in our own lives. When you sip on a cup of coffee and say, “This is good,” what are you saying? The plastic bag that contains the beans is good? The beans themselves are good? Hot water is good? A coffee filter is good? No, none of these. Good happens when the ingredients work together: the bag opened, the beans ground into powder, the water heated to the right temperature. It is the collective cooperation of the elements that creates good.

Nothing in the Bible would cause us to call a famine good or a heart attack good or a terrorist attack good. These are terrible calamities, born out of a fallen earth. Yet every message in the Bible, especially the story of Joseph, compels us to believe that God will mix them with other ingredients and bring good out of them.

But we must let God define good. Our definition includes health, comfort, and recognition. His definition? In the case of his Son, Jesus Christ, the good life consisted of struggles, storms, and death. But God worked it all together for the greatest of good: his glory and our salvation.

Thanks MAX!

And given that he is a TRUSTED Trustee at the school that employs my Dr. Delaney, I thought I would also include Dr. David Jeremiah’s take on the “8:28”

Romans 8:28 (ESV) - And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

From D. Jeremiah:

This Is a Definite Promise (and We Know)

"We know" is used five times in the book of Romans and the word know is used 13 times. They refer to that which is the common knowledge of believers. Paul says we can know beyond all doubt that every aspect of our lives is in God's hands, and that we will be divinely used by the Lord not only to manifest His own glory but to work out our own ultimate blessing.

Earlier in this same context, Paul says we know about the groaning of creation (v. 22). In verse 28, he says we know of God's providential care. Yet in verse 26 he says we sometimes don't know how to pray as we ought. This juxtaposition is not accidental; it illustrates a tension in the Christian life. We know that God is ultimately in control in this life, but sometimes we don't know how all the pieces fit together. One of the paradoxes of the Christian life is this: we are often the most certain about the ultimate when we are the most uncertain about the immediate.

This Is a Divine Promise (God Works)

Paul is not speaking fatalistically, nor is he espousing a "positive mental attitude" as a solution when we don't understand. This promise does not operate through impersonal statements but requires divine action for it to be fulfilled.

The order of the words in this verse helps us to see what Paul is really saying: "We know that for those who love God, He is working." In other words, God is ceaselessly, energetically, and purposefully active on their behalf. It is God Himself who is bringing this good about in behalf of those who love Him.

This Is a Determined Promise (for the Good of His People)

God is at work for the good of His people. Since God is good, the work He is doing for His people is good. The ultimate good He is working toward is the final salvation and glorification of His children. This is evident from verses 29 and 30 in Romans 8.

Paul tells us that God causes all things to work together for good. The "all things" are like the pieces of a giant jigsaw puzzle. The way all things work together for good is that they work according to God's purpose. His purpose is like the picture on the lid of the puzzle box. He knows what the completed puzzle picture looks like even when we do not, and He is putting all the pieces in place.

This Is a Dynamic Promise (Work Together)

Together translates the Greek word sunergeo. It is the word from which we get our word synergism. Synergism is the working together of various elements to produce an effect greater than—and often completely different from—the sum of each element acting separately. In the physical world, the right combination of otherwise harmful chemicals can produce substances that are extremely beneficial. For example, ordinary table salt is comprised of two poisons: sodium and chlorine.

Once again, it is important to point out that Paul is not saying things will just work out. It is saying that God causes this synergism to happen. He is the One who stirs the mix!

This Is a Defined Promise (Those Who Love God)

This is the only limitation contained in this promise. Paul is not expressing a general, superficial optimism that everything tends toward everybody's good in the end. Rather, he uses two terms to describe those who are the recipients of this promise. He says that they are those who love God and those who are the called.

"Those who love God" is the fraternity pin of the believer, the thing that says they belong. Loving God puts one in a distinct class of human beings, separate from all others. Those who, from the human point of view, have chosen to direct their love toward God are the ones who may be assured that all things work together for good. Why? Because as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 8:3:

"If anyone loves God, this one is known by Him."

Now I know today’s little OFH has been a little more “lessony”, but I pray still uplifting. 

Sometimes it is good to challenge one another to dig a little deeper, to seek different perspectives and expand on our views and knowledge.  So, thanks to that friend who challenged me yesterday and I pray that the little “extra exploration” of 8:28 proved helpful to you too!  It did me!

Have a GOOD day!

I love you all!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE