MEANT FOR GOOD
Susan Murray
Today's Scripture: “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
Theme: Remembering the Almighty power of God which raised Jesus from the dead gives us hope during our trials.
EVERYTHING
Really?! Can I say with all seriousness that EVERYTHING works for good?! From the heinous acts of school shootings, war, and sex trafficking to tornados, cancer, and even something as simple as losing my keys or traffic delays on I-77: bad things happen. As much as we try to coalesce the existence of bad things with a good God, we just struggle and often ask the question; Why? Why did this or that thing happen? We struggle to make sense of our own loss and pain. We think that if we know “why” then we will feel better. Often the answer does not come. We search for a silver lining to find some sort of purpose or meaning.
GOOD FRIDAY
I don’t think that on the day that Christ was crucified the disciples would have called that “good.” They were looking for the Messiah and they believed in Jesus, but His salvation plan wasn’t going as they thought it would or should go. Surely the promised Messiah would come with power and throw out the bad Roman oppressors. But that is not what happened. Their Messiah was dead, and they were in hiding to save their own lives. Why? What good was going to come of a dead Messiah? It must have seemed that the last three years of their lives were pointless and without purpose.
Yet today we call it “Good Friday” because we have perspective that the disciples didn’t have at the time of the crucifixion. We read, just a few chapters later, that Jesus was raised from the dead, defeating not just death itself, but defeating sin. That same sin which causes death and all the bad things in this world, including the sinfulness in us. The greatest good happened out of the greatest evil: the salvation of our souls.
WAITING
Just like the disciples, in the days between the crucifixion and the resurrection, we can’t yet see the good that can come out of a bad or evil thing that is happening today. Yet God can see it and He has a plan and a purpose, even if we don’t understand. He only asks us to trust. The next chapter in our lives is yet to be written, so we wait in faith. And what greater good can happen in the waiting than the growing of our faith, trust, and love, despite our own “Roman oppressors”?
We are waiting until Christ returns for a second time to bring final and complete justice to this world. He will usher in a new heaven and a new earth, where there will be no more evil, tears, or suffering. God kept His promise of a Messiah. Jesus to saved us from that final justice and punishment. And God will keep His promise to His children that everything will work out for our good, while we wait for Him to fulfill His final promise of eternal glory in heaven with Him.
Make It Personal: The greatest, most painful loss can become the greatest good. Work out your faith daily and lean into God’s sovereignty for comfort. He will not withhold anything from you that is needed for your ultimate good. Will you trust God in all the things that He brings into your life? It’s complicated and confusing, but resurrections can only happen after a death. Will you die to your own agenda and trust His?
Pray: Lord, You are good and worthy of praise. Sometimes I can begin to doubt Your goodness, especially when I am in pain, confused, enduring difficulties, and seeing the evil in this world. Help me to trust You even when I can’t see any good that can come from this trial. Help me to rest in fact that you are in control, and everything will work out for my good, even if I see it only on the other side in eternity.
Read: Romans 5:1-5, 8:18-39, 11:33; Revelations 21:1-4, James 1:2; Genesis 50:20
Weekly Memory Verse: “But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.’” Matthew 28:5-6, ESV