Trusting God to Work Things Together for Good

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

Romans 8:28 has long been one of my “life verses,” one I memorized long ago and return to again and again to seek to live by. We often misunderstand the verse, thinking that it somehow shows that God puts immunity around believers to protect them from the perplexities, troubles and disappointments of life. That is not the promise of the verse. The promise is God’s ability to work things out for good for those of us who love and trust Him. God doesn’t promise to divert troubles but to lead the believer through them, not to have us avoid sorrow or pain, but to give grace to bear whatever comes.

What is my part in God’s plan? I accept and trust the daily grace God gives me for life’s journey. Has the Lord ever failed? No. But I, in my failure to seek and acknowledge God, fail to lay claim to His promises and live by them. My part in God’s plan for “all things to work together for good” is for my soul to get in touch with God’s greatness and mercy, to claim His promises and to believe, know and act upon the truth that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.”

On July 23, 2016, I participated in a thrilling event, the 70^th “Founders’ Day” program of Truett McConnell College, now Truett McConnell University. Those gathered recalled the history of the college in the mountains established on Christian principles and for the purpose of educating young men and young women in a Christian environment. The logo of a hand holding a flame with the Latin phrase, “veritas liberat,” (truth liberates) has been the college’s motto since the beginning from that Founder’s Day program July 23, 1946. Currently, the inspiring challenge added by the current president, Dr. Emir Caner is “From the first verse to the last tribe,” calling to mind the emphasis that we as Christians are all missionaries as we share the love of God in the context of daily living and reach out to even the “last tribe” who has not yet heard of God’s plan to bring all peoples everywhere to His abundant grace, mercy and forgiveness. God does, indeed (as this sonnet I wrote affirms) work all things together for good:

In God’s Master Plan

We often question, Lord, the ways of life,

The pains we bear, our toils and strife.

When troubles come we wonder why.

We’re not immune. We sometimes cry.

But then like a shining ray of hope

Above our questions Your Spirit spoke

Assuring us that in Your great plan

The best will come to believing man.

Here we see dimly as through a dark glass;

We cannot know what will come to pass.

What we do not know we accept by grace,

For answers come when we seek Your face.

For now, we hold to Your steadfast hand

To lead us on the journey You have planned.

Prayer: Lord, I know You are working things together for good. Therein lies “the peace that passes all understanding” Paul wrote about in Philippians 4:7. Thank You, Lord. -Ethelene Dyer Jones. 07.24.2016.

Lessons from the Psalms: In the Lord I Take Refuge

“In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me. Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me!” -Psalm 31:1-2 (ESV). [Read Psalm 31}

The 24 verses of this Psalm are a prayer, a lament, from the pen of David, the great Psalm-writer of Israel. Many incidents in his life could be the occasions that inspired this prayer for help from the Lord. He is worn out with trouble and beset all about by enemies. In fact, he may be at the point of death, for in verse 5 he prays: “Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.”

During the month of January, my daily devotionals (posted on Facebook and sent out to many friends by e-mail) have been on the theme of Lessons from the Psalms. I have proceeded, one-a-day-through January, until today we look at Psalm 31. I have tried not to be repetitive to dwell too much on one particular theme. I thank God for His guidance and inspiration in this endeavor, and I can truthfully say that as I have studied a Psalm a day, the Spirit of the Living God has been my teacher.

Today I want to give credit for the organization and outline for Psalm 31 to a great minister of the gospel and Bible teacher whose commentaries on both the Old and New Testament are part of my resources for study. Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe in his Wiersbe Bible Commentary. OT (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook Publishing, 2007, p. 910-912) gives this excellent outline for Psalm 38:

1. When Others Do Evil, Trust God for His Strength (vv. 1-8)
2. When Others Cause Pain, Ask God for His Mercy (vv. 9-18)
3. When Others See the Victory, Give God the Glory (vv. 19-24)

If you study the verses carefully, using Dr. Wiersbe’s outline, you will possibly remember the great truths of this Psalm more readily. The emphasis throughout the Psalm is on taking refuge in the Lord, no matter how difficult the circumstances. He asks God to act speedily in delivering him and to be his Rock and his fortress. When others inflict pain, remember to ask God for His mercy, and the fortitude to bear up under the distress. The Christian way, and following the admonition of Jesus, the one praying would also ask forgiveness for those who inflict the pain. In the last verses of the Psalm, David remembers how abundant God’s protection has been for him and he constantly gives God the glory for victory.

Circumstances in my early life were such that I grew up in a hurry. The time following my mother’s death when I was only fourteen were hard years, not only because I missed her loving counsel, but because I had to “grow up” and assume leadership of a home and caring for other members of my family. The work was hard, both in the house and on the farm. And all the while I had such a determination to go to school and excel in studies. Many were the times I poured out my heart in daily jottings in diaries and journals. Early I formed the habit of reading from the Bible to gain strength, and praying to God for help in time of weakness. My oblations read like David’s laments, a constant crying out to God for His help and strength. I know now that “all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28) and that all of those years of struggle to do what was required of me helped me to grow and develop. Like David in Psalm 31:14-15a, I prayed: But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, ‘you are my God.’ My times are in your hand.”

-Ethelene Dyer Jones 01.31.2016

Adoption

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba!  Father!’  The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs  of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”  -Romans 8:14-17 ( ESV).

Adoption is the legal process by which a person (or persons) takes on parental responsibilities for another person’s child.  In the Old Testament we see examples of Mordecai taking his uncle’s daughter, Esther (see Esther 2:15) and Moses taken by the Egyptian princess when found in a basket on the water where his mother had hidden him to keep him from being killed.  We read in the Near Eastern Code of Hammurabi, an ancient set of laws, that provision was made for adoption.  In the New Testament, Paul wrote of the process by which a person becomes a Christian as being adopted by God.  In Galatians 4:3-7, in Ephesians 1:3-6, and again in Romans 8:14-17,  we read how adoption is applied when persons have been redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ.  Adoption takes place when the Spirit of the Lord woos an individual and he is chosen by Christ to be a child of God.  This adoption means the redeemed person has all the rights and responsibilities of a child.

Recently a fine two-year old named Chance was adopted by my grandson Nathan and his wife Kayla.  Prior to the adoption, they had been foster parents to the child for more than half his life.  When all factors came together in the right manner, they were able to proceed with adoption and Chance became Chance Jonathan Jones. They have already a daughter born to them, seven-year old Brenna Elizabeth.  Now both the children have all the rights of having Nathan and Kayla as parents—the one born to them and the one adopted. 

In spiritual adoption the Holy Spirit in the believer assures that the person who turns to the Lord is fully accepted as a child into God’s family.  In our adoption into the family of God, we are heirs of a heavenly home and a future with the Lord.  William and Gloria Gaither wrote a gospel song entitled “The Family of God.”  The words express the joy of our position as God’s adopted children:

“I’m so glad I’m a part of the fam’ly of God—

I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood!

Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod;

For I’m part of the fam’ly, the fam’ly of God.”

Prayer:  Thank you, God, that your grace provides a way we can cry, “Abba!  Father!’  We are joint heirs with Jesus of abundant life on this earth and eternal life in heaven.  And that is all because You adopted us as your children.  Amen.  –Ethelene Dyer Jones  01.05.2014.