God, Where Is The Good?

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:18-30

Focus Verse: Romans 8:28  “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.” NLT

Romans 8:28 has always been a hard verse for me to understand.  If I were to plan out my own life I would not have planned everything the way it has gone.  And perhaps you would not have planned everything in your life the way it has gone either.  This verse has a very strong promise written here.  The promise is that God makes everything to work for our good.  But, the verse also says that if we want this to qualify for this promise,  then we must love God and be called by God for His purpose.  Another thing to notice about this verse is that God does not promise we will see the good.  We may not fully realize how good the plan is that God has for us until we get to heaven.

I’m reading in the news today about a strong Christian family that just had their oldest daughter murdered.  She was in college studying to be a nurse because she loved people and wanted to help people.  Where is the good in this?  I don’t know how God will bring good out of this situation, but this verse in Romans promises that He will.  I’m reading testimony by the parents of this young girl that was murdered a few days ago and it is obvious that they have a very strong faith in God, and they believe Jesus will help get them through this senseless tragedy.

 

Let these parents of this girl be an example to us to walk so close to God that we could weather a storm like this.  Even when we can’t see the good in all of life's circumstances, David reminds us of another promise of God in Psalm 23:4  “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me.  Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.”  Let’s remember just because we can’t see God doesn’t mean He’s not here.  God is always present in our lives working out the good for us even when we can’t see it.  That is real faith.

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

Don't Separate

Bible Reading:  Matthew 19:1-12
Focus Verse: Hebrews 3:8  "Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness."

Jesus had just finished teaching about how to handle a brother’s sin against you and how much we should forgive.  I don’t think it’s an accident that that is covered just before marriage.  Forgiveness is needed regularly in any marriage based on our nature to sin.  The Pharisees came to test him and asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”  Jesus replied that from the beginning, God created them male and female to be united as one.  God joins them together and man should not separate.  There was a concession given by Moses for marital unfaithfulness, but only because of the hardness of their hearts.  He said it wasn’t that way in the beginning.  Jesus went so far as to call it adultery if someone divorces and remarries for any reason other than that. 

There is a beautiful trinity in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  At the end of each day of creation, God said it was good.  After He created Man and Woman, he said it was “Very good!”  Why this difference?  We are not like the animals.  Marriage is a reflection of the unity found in the trinity.  Jesus many times said that the “Father and I are one”.  Now he says that man and wife will become one.  We are to honor that commitment. 

After saying this, it stands to reason that you should be careful and prayerful as you choose the person you will marry.  I remember when I was in High School that I made a list of the qualities that I was looking for in a husband.  I then rated them in priority.  Sure, we can get swept up in emotional love, but the lasting marriage takes commitment.  Remember how I started this devotion?  It was about forgiveness.  It really works.  Be sure that when you marry, you both are committed for life!  Begin now by praying about the person that you will marry.  Pray for that person as they walk with Christ.  If you are married, pray for your spouse and seek to build the unity between you through becoming closer to Christ together.  Pray together,  read God's word together and serve God together.

~Page Johnson
Interlocking Ministries