Eternal Benefactor
This week's study is on Romans 8:28-30:
God has known us for eternity, from his perspective. He knew us before we were born. He knows us after we've died and gone to heaven. He knows everything that has happened and everything that will happen. He loves us and wants the best for all of the people he loves.
And yet terrible things happen to Christians. Peter, for instance, was nailed to a cross like Jesus, except he was nailed upside down. Was that a surprise to God? And yet it was the perfect ending to the life of a man who wanted to follow in Christ's footsteps as closely as possible. His testimony was sealed, validated by the lengths to which he was willing to go to stand by the truth. Other people have trials and tests, disappointments, and so on. And yet God knows and loves us perfectly and has a perfect plan.
Sometimes we don't know why we're suffering this thing or that thing. When Paul was going through hard financial times, or was in a shipwreck, or was being beaten and left for dead, I doubt those were his life's aspirations. But yet in the big picture sense, those things worked for God's plan, and Paul is reaping the eternal rewards for being in those places at those times enduring those things. All things work out for good, even if not within the span of a day or our lifetime on earth.
So the question we have to ask when we're feeling discouraged is, do we believe in a God who loves us, who knows all, and who has all power in his hands? If so, how could we possibly lose? All suffering is temporary when you consider the canvas God has to work our lives onto. Often it is very temporary indeed. I can't tell you how many times I've had what I thought would be a miserable cursed day, or week, or season only to have it turn around and turn out just fine.
At any given point in time, God is winning. And if we're his people, planned for throughout all time, called by him, fixed up and made clean by him, given honor by him as his chosen beloved people, then that means we're winning too. We have an always-present, eternal benefactor who works on our side to ensure that everything turns out for the best. That's the best gift we could ever want for Christmas.
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. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
God has known us for eternity, from his perspective. He knew us before we were born. He knows us after we've died and gone to heaven. He knows everything that has happened and everything that will happen. He loves us and wants the best for all of the people he loves.
And yet terrible things happen to Christians. Peter, for instance, was nailed to a cross like Jesus, except he was nailed upside down. Was that a surprise to God? And yet it was the perfect ending to the life of a man who wanted to follow in Christ's footsteps as closely as possible. His testimony was sealed, validated by the lengths to which he was willing to go to stand by the truth. Other people have trials and tests, disappointments, and so on. And yet God knows and loves us perfectly and has a perfect plan.
Sometimes we don't know why we're suffering this thing or that thing. When Paul was going through hard financial times, or was in a shipwreck, or was being beaten and left for dead, I doubt those were his life's aspirations. But yet in the big picture sense, those things worked for God's plan, and Paul is reaping the eternal rewards for being in those places at those times enduring those things. All things work out for good, even if not within the span of a day or our lifetime on earth.
So the question we have to ask when we're feeling discouraged is, do we believe in a God who loves us, who knows all, and who has all power in his hands? If so, how could we possibly lose? All suffering is temporary when you consider the canvas God has to work our lives onto. Often it is very temporary indeed. I can't tell you how many times I've had what I thought would be a miserable cursed day, or week, or season only to have it turn around and turn out just fine.
At any given point in time, God is winning. And if we're his people, planned for throughout all time, called by him, fixed up and made clean by him, given honor by him as his chosen beloved people, then that means we're winning too. We have an always-present, eternal benefactor who works on our side to ensure that everything turns out for the best. That's the best gift we could ever want for Christmas.
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