Best news ever … God is at work in all things for the good of those who love him—and we love him because he first loved us, giving Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins. We became his loved ones because of a plan he made before the world began—a plan that includes making us completely like Jesus one Day. He has already called us and justified us, and our glorification is so certain it is spoken of in the past tense. Because Abba gave Jesus to us and for us, certainly trust him for everything else we really need. (Paraphrase of Rom.8:28-32)
Abba, Father, we have no clue how all things are going to work out, but we DO know you are working in all things for our good and your glory. Make this truth more powerful, peace-giving and precious to us than ever. We don’t know to what degree broken relationships will be healed before we die. We don’t know how much redemption you’re going to bring before we enter heaven to our messiest stories, heaviest heartaches, and most painful scenarios.
But we can be certain—because you don’t lie, that nothing in our past, present, or future is excluded from the glorious affirmation of Romans 8:28. You are at work in “all things”—not in “some things,” “most things,” or in all things except the bad things we brought on ourselves. All means ALL—just like Jesus’ promise to make ALL things new.
Abba, we will continue to pray, work, and hope many things will work out well and wonderfully. But keep freeing us from making our peace and joy more contingent on outcomes than on you. Though a lot separates us from having control, nothing can separate us from your love. So Very Amen.
