Romans 8:28

It’s Not All Good

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“We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan” (Romans 8:28, The Voice).

The popular rendition of this verse is that in God all things work together for good. Note that it does not say that all things are good but that all things work for good.

In other words, it’s not all good.

All you have to do is watch the news, read the newspaper, or catch the headlines on any news website to know that. Creation is beautiful but broken, due to that original sin that messed everything up.

It’s not all good when racism still exists and people are looked down upon as being less than for skin color, ethnicity, or gender.

It’s not all good when schools aren’t a safe place to learn, as too many students have died from gun violence.

It’s not all good when parents bury their children, when women want desperately to have children but can’t, and when someone else gets a cancer diagnosis.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is not “I’m okay, you’re okay.” It’s not an “It’s all good.”

The gospel of Jesus Christ says that God can take anything, even the worst kinds of evil, and work it into something good and beautiful.

The gospel says that one day, all will be made right and there will be no more pain or tears.

So no, it’s not currently all good, but the cross proves that God can take even the very worst and redeem it.

That’s all good.

 

No Greater Mercy

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“There is no greater mercy that I know of on earth than good health except it be sickness; and that has often been a greater mercy to me than health.

It is a good thing to be without a trouble; but it is a better thing to have a trouble, and know how to get grace enough to bear it.

I am not so much afraid of the devil when he roars, as I am when he pretends to go to sleep. I think that, oftentimes, a roaring devil keeps us awake; and the troubles of this life stir us up to go to God in prayer, and that which looks to us ill turns to our good.

‘We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose’ (Romans 8:28 KJV).

C.H. Spurgeon, The Simplicity and Sublimity of Salvation, delivered June 5, 1892.

The Crud continues. It’s better but not gone. Still, I supposed little ailments like this one keep me from taking good health totally for granted.

I’ve heard that the Bible teaches us not to give thanks FOR all things, but to give thanks IN all things. Not everything that happens to us (or that we cause to happen) is good– sometimes, it’s downright evil or nasty– but God works in EVERYTHING for good.

I’d rather have all the creature comforts, but I know that sickness and trouble can wake me up from my spiritual stupor and get me on my knees faster than any material blessing ever could.

So I’m thankful for a little Crud. I’m thankful that it’s not any worse. I’ll be ever so much more thankful when all this coughing ceases, but if this is the worst that ever happens to me, I’m doing alright.