"That is so unreasonable!"
"Are you sure?"
We don't say it aloud, but it's what we often think about God. Like Eve in the Garden of Eden, we find ourselves failing in answer to the question, "Did God really say?"
In my limited, tainted understanding I disbelieve God's goodness. I doubt that what He has just provided is a good idea, the right answer, just what I need. There is something about my will that wants an easy life, a convenient one, with access to the things that tickle me plump. Miscommunication with a friend or mate, an upset in my schedule or long line at the store are just enough to make me question God's goodness.
What if...what if we took God at His Word? What if we walked in that same gospel that saved us? The gospel says Jesus died for me. Rose for me Lives for me. And if I have accepted that on faith, It is not a once-is-enough-moving-on act of faith. It is the beginning of a life lived in that same faith, day after day, moment by moment
What if we grasped the fact that His good isn't our good? That He is infinite and holy? And His good is for me to be like Jesus--dying to myself and living for God instead? Humbling myself and approaching my friend or mate with gentleness is God's good--it's a step toward being like Jesus. Accepting God' interruption to my schedule graciously and acknowledging His lordship and direction is a better thing. How much better to be like Jesus than myself? And waiting patiently in line at the store is one more way to express content that God is working all things (all of them) for the good of making me more like Jesus.
Jesus had no agenda of His own. "For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me." (John 6:38 NIV)
Jesus did not demand His rights. "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness...." (Philippians 2:6-7 NIV)
He loved His enemies. "Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:7-8 NIV)
And, although Jesus suffered and died--it was all for God's good plan. It was God's love for you and me that brought about His death. It is His continued love for us that drives His work in our lives. He did not save us to simply drag human corpses to Heaven. He saved us to change us--to recreate us into something better. He is providing opportunity after opportunity for us to walk in faith, joy, peace, goodness and kindness. I do this by taking hold of His promises and acting on them...in faith, believing God is good (1 Peter 1:3-4). This circumstance is for my good. This interruption is for my good. This tragedy is for my good. This is a purposeful act of God. And God is good. Believe it....or not.
Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
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.
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:23-39
"Are you sure?"
We don't say it aloud, but it's what we often think about God. Like Eve in the Garden of Eden, we find ourselves failing in answer to the question, "Did God really say?"
In my limited, tainted understanding I disbelieve God's goodness. I doubt that what He has just provided is a good idea, the right answer, just what I need. There is something about my will that wants an easy life, a convenient one, with access to the things that tickle me plump. Miscommunication with a friend or mate, an upset in my schedule or long line at the store are just enough to make me question God's goodness.
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| https://wertheplan.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/grocery-store-line.jpg |
What if...what if we took God at His Word? What if we walked in that same gospel that saved us? The gospel says Jesus died for me. Rose for me Lives for me. And if I have accepted that on faith, It is not a once-is-enough-moving-on act of faith. It is the beginning of a life lived in that same faith, day after day, moment by moment
What if we grasped the fact that His good isn't our good? That He is infinite and holy? And His good is for me to be like Jesus--dying to myself and living for God instead? Humbling myself and approaching my friend or mate with gentleness is God's good--it's a step toward being like Jesus. Accepting God' interruption to my schedule graciously and acknowledging His lordship and direction is a better thing. How much better to be like Jesus than myself? And waiting patiently in line at the store is one more way to express content that God is working all things (all of them) for the good of making me more like Jesus.
Jesus had no agenda of His own. "For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me." (John 6:38 NIV)
Jesus did not demand His rights. "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness...." (Philippians 2:6-7 NIV)
He loved His enemies. "Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:7-8 NIV)
And, although Jesus suffered and died--it was all for God's good plan. It was God's love for you and me that brought about His death. It is His continued love for us that drives His work in our lives. He did not save us to simply drag human corpses to Heaven. He saved us to change us--to recreate us into something better. He is providing opportunity after opportunity for us to walk in faith, joy, peace, goodness and kindness. I do this by taking hold of His promises and acting on them...in faith, believing God is good (1 Peter 1:3-4). This circumstance is for my good. This interruption is for my good. This tragedy is for my good. This is a purposeful act of God. And God is good. Believe it....or not.
Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
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.
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:23-39
