“I went to Big Box Wholesale Club the other day,” Stan commented one morning. “Surprisingly, I was reminded of an important lesson for my faith walk.”
“At Big Box?” I asked. “What was that all about?”
“There was a person there,” Stan replied, “a representative of one of those companies that sell television, internet, and phone service. She asked me if I had a minute to hear what she had to say.”
“And she told you about her faith?” I asked. “Is that what happened?”
“No,” Stan replied, “she didn’t say anything about her faith that impacted me. It’s what she told me about the package that reminded me of something the apostle Paul wrote.”
“Package?” I said. “What package?”
“Well,” Stan replied, “this woman told me about what her company offers. Television, internet, and telephone service, both landline and cell.”
Continuing, he said, “I told her I already have a good telephone service that I’m happy with, but that I might be interested in the television or internet service. She said that wouldn’t work.”
“Wouldn’t work?” I replied. “What wouldn’t work?”
“She said the whole thing was a package,” Stan replied. “It couldn’t be separated out. It was all or nothing. I thanked her and told her I wasn’t interested in the whole package.”
“So?” I said. “What’s that have to do with your faith walk?”
“Later,” Stan replied, “as I was thinking about what the woman had said, I was reminded that the apostle Paul had written kind of the same thing about a package deal.”
“Where did Paul write about a package deal?” I asked somewhat skeptically.
“Romans 8:28,” he responded. “As you will remember, Paul wrote about God causing ‘all things’ to work together for good.”
“Yeah,” I said, “all things working together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.”
“Exactly,” Stan replied. “All things. That mean’s it’s a package deal. If I love God, which I do, and if I’m called according to His purpose, which I am, then I have to accept that He causes all things to work together for good. All things, not just some things.”
“So,” I said, “all things, including what I think is good and those things that I may think are not so good, or even bad. Is that it?”
“That’s it,” Stan replied. “All things. It’s a package deal. Can’t pick and choose.”
______________________________________
Bible verses to consider:
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28.
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Romans 8:32.
The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Romans 11:29.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for all you have provided through the finished work of Jesus’ cross. You have given me life eternally in your presence when it’s time, and you have given me the eternal life of knowing you and Jesus on this side of eternity. As well, I know that you cause all things to work together for my good because I love you and I am called according to your purpose. I confess that too often I tend to think that such “all things” are only what I consider good, and do not include what I think is not so good or even bad. Please forgive the foolishness of thinking I can choose which “all things” are good and which are not. Help me to truly believe that Romans 8:28 means what it says. Help me to believe it and to live it. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: How are you doing with believing and accepting the “all things” of Romans 8:28? Do you tend to want to tell God what is “good” and what is not, rather than accepting that He can use all things for good whether you consider them good or not? If you sense the need for change in how you view what is included in the package of “all things,” how is that change going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 