SCRIPTURE
Romans 8:28-30 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. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Romans 9:14-16 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses,"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16 It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.
1 Chron 29:11-12 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.
12 Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.
Isaiah 45:9-11 "Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker, to him who is but a potsherd among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, 'What are you making?' Does your work say, 'He has no hands'? 10 Woe to him who says to his father, 'What have you begotten?' or to his mother, 'What have you brought to birth?' 11 "This is what the LORD says-- the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker: Concerning things to come, do you question me about my children, or give me orders about the work of my hands?
OBSERVATION
Here is possibly the most difficult concept to understand, it is so obvious how small our brains are, at least mine is.
God is in control, not only is he in control but he is in complete control. Whether in heaven or on earth, king or peasant. He is personally involved and he has a personal investment in us. No problem for me to understand, but I have to remember that he is still in control even though he has given me a free will. If we have free will then how can he still be in control? Instead of being a harsh dictator forcing his will on us he somehow lovingly works out his will through our will.
It seems unfair from a human perspective that some of us would be chosen and others are not chosen and he knows which are chosen and which are not even before we were born. Out of all the thousands of people on the earth he chose Abram, he chose Isaac over Abraham’s other sons, and out of twelve brothers God chose Joseph. Think about Jacob and Essau, Jacob was chosen over Essau before their birth. Actually that’s how it is for everyone, he has always known the outcome of our lives.
God knew when he made me that I would accept Jesus as my Savior. He knows when he makes somebody that will not accept Jesus as his Savior, but still he makes that person anyway. He knew which person would be a great humanitarian and which person would become a killer. He knew that Cain would kill Abel. He could have only made perfect people incapable of doing wrong but then we wouldn’t love him out of our own desire and free choice and that’s what true love is.
He has determined that some will be healed from an illness and others won’t, some will live through war and some will die. Some will live to one hundred years and some will not leave the womb alive.
Job suffered without an explanation, as I heard pastor Adrian Rogers say “Job didn’t have the first few chapters of the book of Job to explain to him what was going on,” he just had to live through it. Countless millions have suffered with disease and have endured pain that is never healed. Some live with torture and persecution while others live with liberty and freedom.
I can not understand a lot of these things, but I do know God and as I learn more and more about him I know that I can trust him for the things I do not understand. The main essence of God’s being is that he is holy that is his highest moral excellence, the thing that separates him above all else. The Bible tells us that he is a just judge, that he is merciful and loving and that he doesn’t want anyone to perish.
His plan has always to show himself as a just and loving God no matter what circumstances we are in that fact does not change.
Romans 11:36 For everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory. To him be glory evermore.
APPLICATION
No matter what happens in life there is a purpose and there is a good chance I will not understand the purpose because my God is way bigger than me. I will trust him no matter what.
PRAYER
Help me Lord in the difficult moments to rely on you and remember that you loved me enough to send your son to die for me.
