Scripture Reading: Romans 8

God is for you.  He loves you.  And He can work all things together for good, when you love Him and are called according to His purpose.  These concepts are found throughout the Bible.  But they’re also stated clearly and succinctly in Romans chapter 8.

Although the Apostle Paul wrote this letter to the believers living in Rome, Italy, about the year 54 A.D., Paul’s words apply just as much to you today, wherever you happen to live in the world, if you, too, are a believer in Christ.  Here are a few of the things Paul said.

He wants you to be free from the guilt and shame that you might feel because of your sins:

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). 

He wants you to know that you aren’t alone in your struggle against sin, for the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit lives within you:

“If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:11). 

He wants you to know that if you are experiencing any suffering in this world, that it will hardly compare to the glory you will see one day:

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). 

Or as Samuel Rutherford, a Scottish writer in the 1600’s, paraphrased it:  “Our little time of suffering is not worthy of our first night’s welcome home to Heaven.”

Paul wants you to know that even when you are at a loss as to how to pray for yourself, the Holy Spirit will pray for you:

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26). 

And in one of the most famous verses in the Bible, Paul wants you to know that God will work all things for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose:

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). 

I often quote this verse―both to myself and to others―because it’s a great reminder that God can bring good out of any difficulty that we face.

There’s a concept in karate called “borrowed force” that’s useful when someone throws a punch at you.  Instead of taking the hit and letting the punch knock you out, you can take hold of the punch with your hands, add your own strength to it, and throw your opponent to the ground behind you.  Instead of letting the punch defeat you, you can use it for good.

When life, or people, or your job, or the economy, throws a punch at you that could probably knock you out, God wants you to put your faith in Him.  When you do, He can help you to take hold of the punch that was meant for evil and turn it into something good something even better than you may have been able to do on your own.

If you remember the story of Joseph and his brothers, you’ll see how Joseph was able to see God’s hand at work, even after his brothers sold him as a slave into Egypt.  God one day raised Joseph up to be second in command in Egypt, giving him wisdom to store up food during years of plenty for an upcoming famine, resulting in saving many people in Egypt as well as his own brothers.  Joseph said:

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:20). 

God is for you, too.  He loves you.  And if you’ll trust in Him with everything that you’re going through today, He really can and will work all things together for good.

I hope you’ll read the rest of Romans 8 today―especially the last section in verses 31-39.  They’re some of the most uplifting words in the whole Bible.  If God is for you, who can be against you!

Prayer

Father, thank You for loving us so fully, and for promising us that You will indeed work all things for good in our lives when we love you and are called according to Your purpose.  Help us to trust You and Your promises completely, as we face the challenges in our lives today. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Memory Verse

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28, ESV).