(A personal, prayer-response:)
How I love this passage, Lord, with its comfort and reassurance!
Paul reminds me here that You, O God, are all-wise and all-knowing; You know what’s best for each of us.
You cause all things to work together for our benefit, for those who love You (Romans 8:28).
Sometimes though, I have to admit, certain events confound and frustrate me. My finite mind cannot understand what good you could possibly bring out of:
- Severe financial setbacks for a godly family
- A rejection letter from a mission board for an eager candidate
- An announcement of divorce between a respected couple in the church
- A cancer diagnosis for a young mother
- The death of a child
But those of us who trust in You know that we can count on Your wisdom and knowledge in all things, and the absolute dependability of Your character—Your benevolent goodness, Your perfect righteousness, Your deep compassion, Your unfailing faithfulness and infinite love (to name a few)—even in the face of struggle and tragedy.
Remind me, Father, that “making room for mystery in my worldview”(1) is an important element of spiritual maturity.
And to demonstrate that mature trust, I can follow Job’s example. His first response to catastrophe was worship (Job 1:20).
And as I worship, I can praise and thank You, not only for those blessings I see but also for those I can’t.
Help me Father to rest in the knowledge that:
- Out of Your infinite wisdom, You select the best possible conclusion of events, and You adopt the best possible means for accomplishing that conclusion (2).
- You are the Most High God, Lord of heaven and earth. You are subject to no one and influenced by no one; neither can anyone thwart or hinder Your plans (3).
- Even my mistakes could never obstruct Your will.
- You, on the other hand make no mistakes. Your choices for me are always right, because they come from Your perfect mind and heart. You always know exactly what you’re doing.
- “Everything from You and for You” (v. 36) often includes mundane tasks, tedious routine, and lack of recognition. But I can count on the fact that, “in the midst of what seems terribly ordinary, You—in your wisdom and power–are doing something extraordinary” (4).
- Everything serves Your purpose (5). You direct everything toward the conclusion you ordained for it.
May I be joyfully submissive to Your plans for me, in light of these marvelous truths!
Notes:
- Sarah Young, Jesus Always, 65.
- Based on a J. L. Dagg quote, www.gracequotes.com.
- Based on an A. W. Pink quote, www.gracequotes.com.
- Alice Mathews, A Woman God Can Use, 77.
- A quote my dad copied into one of his Bibles, source unknown.
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