Romans 8:28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Today's verse, Romans 8:28 comes to us on 8/28. It combines within the space of a few words the concepts that we've been and will be considering, the "we know" and the "all things".
We probably will admit to our children saying to us, or us saying to our parents, "I know, dad" or "mom, I know!" in an argumentative way, speaking of a head knowledge of something prior to going through the experience. There is a big difference between the "we know" that Paul speaks about. It is one that comes out of going through the furnace of affliction, of pain and suffering, of wrongful imprisonment, beatings, shipwreck and illnesses to name a few. Paul went through them all.
Pastor James MacDonald writes, "the word know communicates experiential knowledge - the kind that comes from life. You didn't go to church, college or Google to find this kind of knowing. You know because you've gone through it, and God's Spirit has confirmed it. This knowing isn't something you feel. Things don't always feel in the moment like they could work together for good, but time will prove God's character. This is one of those tried and definitely true pictures in God's Word about how He works."
The first two years after our son Jeff's accident, I dug into Romans to try to come to grips with this verse in particular and what Paul had to say, what Pastor MacDonald has to say. With the help of reading Martin Lloyd Jones and John Piper's works on Romans, God's Word and His Spirit at work in my life I've come to a place to "know" and accept this "anchor for the soul" that God has blessed us with.
Do you know this today from experience? If you do, you've come to realize that His love never fails, never changes.
In Christ,
Mike
Mike
Follow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace NIV
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace NIV
Romans 8:27-29
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
27 And He who searches the hearts knows the Spirit's mind-set, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
28 We know that all things work together[a] for the good[b] of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.
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