At prayer meeting this week, Pastor Ryan shared briefly from Romans 8: 28-29. He commented that verse 28 is often pulled out of the rest of the chapter. Yes, it is a promise from God that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. However, Pastor Ryan brought in verse 29 as well, "in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." The aim of the all things working together for good is that He, Christ, might be the firstborn or the first. He encouraged us to see that the goal of the working together for good is not a change in our circumstances but the goal is that Christ would be first. Even our being foreknown, predestined, and conformed to His image is in order that He might be the first of many brothers.
This got me thinking about the good and when do we experience this good?
In one sense, the full reality of this is deferred to the future. One day, we will be with the Lord forever. But the best thing in heaven is not the streets of gold or being reunited with loved ones who have gone before. Piper's intro to Shai Linne's song My Portion cuts through all of those peripherals. Heaven is heaven because God is there. That is the ultimate culmination of Christ being first and glorified.
But what about now? What about the all things for good now?
Maybe, the good is learning to love and cherish Christ here and now, not just having bad circumstances made better some day. The good is that through suffering, the idols that once won me and charmed me get knocked off their pedestals one by one until there are no rivals to Christ. With our taste buds, bitterness makes the sweet so much sweeter. So in bitter circumstances, Christ becomes so much sweeter.
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
This got me thinking about the good and when do we experience this good?
In one sense, the full reality of this is deferred to the future. One day, we will be with the Lord forever. But the best thing in heaven is not the streets of gold or being reunited with loved ones who have gone before. Piper's intro to Shai Linne's song My Portion cuts through all of those peripherals. Heaven is heaven because God is there. That is the ultimate culmination of Christ being first and glorified.
But what about now? What about the all things for good now?
Maybe, the good is learning to love and cherish Christ here and now, not just having bad circumstances made better some day. The good is that through suffering, the idols that once won me and charmed me get knocked off their pedestals one by one until there are no rivals to Christ. With our taste buds, bitterness makes the sweet so much sweeter. So in bitter circumstances, Christ becomes so much sweeter.
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
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