Today let us turn to the familiar verse in Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” We have all read this verse multiple times. This is a promise that we often claim. There is a condition for this promise – for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. When we go through different situations in our lives, we can claim this promise. God has made us in His own image and our purpose on this earth is to glorify God through the situations we go through. The reason why God allows us to go through various situations is so that we will be conformed to His image. In verse 29 we read that we are predestined to be conformed to His image.
Jesus was the only son of God but after His resurrection, we have been given the privilege to be sons of God. God is love and it is because of His mercy that we are experiencing His love. Let us ask ourselves, how much do we love this God? How can we show our love to God? In Luke 10:25 onward, we read how Jesus explains that in order to inherit eternal life we need to love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind and to love our neighbor as our self. In the parable of the Samaritan man, Jesus explains how we can show love to our neighbor by having a heart of compassion. The love of God is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. This is why we need the filling of the Holy Spirit continually. Jesus said that all men will know that we are His disciples because of our love for one another. In John 17 we read in Jesus’ prayer that eternal life is imparting the nature of God every day in our lives. Jesus glorified the Father all the days of His life. Similarly we are to also glorify God. In John 14:21 we read, “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” We can show our love for God by keeping His commandments. In John 13 we read how Jesus washed the feet of the disciples. We are to follow His example and wash the feet of the brothers. We need to have humility and yearn to serve our brothers.
In Isaiah 43:1,2 we read, “But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.” In verse 7 we read, “Everyone who is called by My name, And whom I have created for My glory, Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.” These verses show us that God has predestined us. We have been created for His glory. In Genesis we read how God made man in His image. God wants us to be in conformity of His image every day. In order to bear this fruit, we need to depend on God because apart from God we can’t do anything. In John 15:8 that we can glorify God by bearing much fruit. In Romans 12:1 we read, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” Our lives must be a living and holy sacrifice to God.
When we can say with confidence that we love our neighbors as ourselves – thereby showing our love for God and that we are living with the purpose that God has predestined us for; then we can say that all things work together for our good as mentioned in Romans 8:28. When we go through difficult times we can claim this promise – “Lord I love you and so I believe that this is for best. And Lord, if there is any area where I do not love you, please show me so that I can love you with all my heart. If there is any area where I am not glorifying you, please show me Lord so that I can fulfill the purpose with which you predestined me.”
May God bless us all.
