Romans 8... day 27...

And we know that for those who love God

all things work together for good,

for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28 ESV

I love this verse...
it's one of the first I memorized...
one of the first I clung to...

I love this verse because it summarizes the awesome power of our amazing God...

He is the One...
who works all things together for good...
in the lives of those who love Him...

Oh... where to begin...

The first epiphany I had regarding the depth of this verse revolved around my own sinful past...

Grave choices made reeked havoc in my soul...

Through this particular Word... I began to see... experience... God's power and grace...

He works all things together... for good...

We're talking... past... present... future... things...

From the moment you receive Christ as your own... by owning your sin... and accepting His willingness to take it from you... a miraculous event takes place...

Everything you've ever done... are doing... or will do...

is worked by Him... into good for you... if you love Him...

Now... it was a challenge at first  to see how He might use what I've done for my good...

He revealed His allowing of my sinful choices... as the medium He used to protect me from a life of legalistic pride...

A hard pill to swallow...

but... yes... I see it...
and in light of His sovereignty...

agree with it...

The second epiphany concerned difficulties... trials... that come into our lives through no apparent fault of our own...

This verse tells us no matter how horrendous or devastating it might seem He possesses the POWER to work it all together for your good...

Do you believe it...?

I mean some pretty horrible things happen in this broken corrupt world... you know what I'm talking about... but He says...

...for those who love God...

ALL THINGS... work together...

...for... GOOD...

It sounds ridiculous... yet...

I have to consider... personally... I've experienced the illness and death of my mom... which seemed devastating at the time... but it is what He used to bring me to Him...

In the eternal scheme of things... I claim it as all GOOD...!

Look at Joseph's life... 

hated by his brothers...

sold into slavery...

falsely accused...

unjustly jailed...

only to end up second to one... in the most powerful nation on earth...

...for those who love God... all things... work together... for good...

He alone has the power to allow what the enemy intends for harm...

and actually intend it for good...

the good of His people who love Him...

and for His glory... according to His purpose...

And not only that... the good He works in your life... through both terrible and wonderful events... works good into the lives of all who love Him...

Somehow... all tied up together in the Body of Christ... are all sorts of things... God is working for good for those who love Him...

In Christ... He encompasses your entire life's history...

and works it... into good for you... and His people...

All this hangs on His sovereignty...

Everything... that happens... or comes into your life... (your choices... other people's choices...) flows through His divine hands...

Who has spoken and it came to pass,

unless the Lord has commanded it?

Is it not from the mouth of the Most High

that good and bad come?

Lamentations 3:37-38 ESV

From here... we can firmly stand... 

He is the Rock... and... Redeemer...

One last note... on His spectacular power... to work all things for good... a perspective changer...

The enemy... enticed man... to sin...

through the one sin...

corruption and death... entered creation...

The most amazing thing to me... is the remaining beauty... of creation... even in its brokenness...

We see everyday... the effects of sins destruction...

but overall... God's good... 

through beauty... life... re-creation...

overpowers the effects of evil...

Beauty...

Life...

Re-creation...

Evidence... of His working all things for good... for those who love Him...

How can you NOT love Him...?