… those who Love God and are called according to His purpose. All things work together for good (II)

So what is His purpose? Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:9,10, that He has made known to us the mystery of His will, and it is that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. And He calls us to partner with Him in this purpose. The point is that we find fulfillment, satisfaction and direction when we discover our purpose. And in calling us to partner with Him in His purpose, then His purpose becomes our purpose too!

So what has this got to do with God working all things together for our good? Well much in every way, and this is brought out in the next verse, Romans 8:29. In particular, in His calling He determined to work two things in us. Firstly He determines to conform us to “the image of His Son.” In other words He uses the trials, tribulations in temptations to make us more like Jesus. And when we choose to trust and believe in and through it all, then like buddies in a war, we share in the fellowship of His sufferings (Philippians 3:10). He never calls us to do what He has not already done, and done in spades, for “though he were a Son, yet He learned obedience through the things that He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8).

Secondly He works in us in such a way, that “we would be the firstborn among many brethren.” For those of us who love the Lord, there is surly nothing more fulfilling than knowing that our lives and our words influence others to come to know Him! He is amazing really, He uses our transformed lives, and our words to bring others into the kingdom, and then turns round and rewards us for the work that He does in us.

Father, You are the potter, and we are the clay. And we become mouldable, as we submit to Your character polishing in and through the trials and tribulations of life. And part of this submission, as it was with Your Son, is to learn obedience through our suffering. It’s relatively easy to trust and obey when it costs us nothing! But it is pleasing to You when we submit when it’s hard. We need Your grace for this Lord, I do! In particular Lord, I need your grace to continue to wait on You for the fulfillment of Your promises. But I know that in the end I will see that You have done all things well, in Your precious name I pray Amen