Happy New Year! So I was thinking about Griffin's (grade 2) memory verse this morning as he was reciting it to me and it was actually one I already know. I even knew where it was which is kind of a big deal cuz while I think I know quite a lot of scripture I never know where to find it back. For this reason and many others I'm thankful for google. Though hopefully my children won't need it as much as me.
Anyway Griffin's verse is Romans: 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, and have been called according to his purpose.
It's a great verse and a long time favourite. Another verse that struck me a few years back was one of my kid's memory verses too.... Proverbs 19:21 which is Many are the plans of a man's heart but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.
I think a lot about God's purpose. Because there are things that happen so often, the older I get the more I experience this, in my life and in others' lives, that seem to have no purpose. They just seem so HARD and what good could they do? I think when really difficult roads must be traveled (read: suffer 6 consecutive miscarriages) than it's a comfort to know God has a purpose. But... once in a while our minds (mine anyway) float into THAT territory. What, God, could the purpose possibly BE? Why? A lady I know told me that "Why?" is an ok place to visit but not a good place to stay and that's the truth!
So in my wanderings of the Bible I've thought more and more about how God's purpose in the end isn't only about me. It's about eternity. And while right now the stuff I go through seems to be so all encompassing, it's a very small bump on the road to a life everlasting with Jesus. And that's the GOAL. To live with Jesus in eternity. And let's face it, that's the main goal every Christian person has for their children. Many a nights parents spend tearfully begging the Lord to bring their children back into His fold and for 6 of our children God has already achieved that Goal. I'm thankful. But it's still a struggle.
When I think about trials being a means to God's purpose it's somehow easier to bear them. I don't struggle at all with trials being part of God's purpose. I struggle a bit with them being part of His Plan or Will. Can God's will for us contain evil things?! When someone dies of cancer we say "God brought to Himself so and so" and I think that's true, but still God is only Good so He can't be the author of anything evil and if there's anything evil in this world it's cancer. Not to mention all sorts of other horrific things brought on by sin like rape, torture, child abuse, and I'm done with this depressing list. One day I discovered there are different parts of God's Will. Some say there are two parts and some say three or more... I'm no theologian so I'll give you my layman's terms from my vast research (and by research I mean I read some articles I googled)
1. God's sovereign or decretive or hidden will. (Maybe can we give it ONE name for us simple folk?) It means that God is always in control. He causes everything that happens good or bad to work towards His Goals and Purposes which are ultimately to glorify Him. Sovereign will is about the eternal end result: That all God's chosen people will be glorifying Him in heaven. This is the will we have to trust and not seek to understand.
2. God's perceptive or revealed will. Basically this is how He reveals that He wants us (us being believers) to live our lives which is in the 10 Commandments. But more than that I think it's about how He defines the 10 Commandments in the New Testament as not just a list of rules but a way of loving him and those around us. See Jesus' summary of the law: Mark 12:31
3. God's permissive will. This is the one that allowed the fall into sin to happen and allows it to continue. However because God is God He is able to make bad things turn to good and be part of his plan for us. Which is essentially what Roman's 8:28 says. This also makes me think of what Joseph said to his brothers in Genesis 50:20, You meant it for evil but God meant it for good. My little brain finds this one quite similar to number 1. (This one doesn't excuse sin by the way, just proves God's power to turn it to our good.)
Anyway let me tell you my opinion that comes from my self imposed google doctorate. :)
It's kind of like parenting kids. Sometimes they make choices and you give them a punishment, but as they mature more often than not when they make poor choices you tell them and/or you step back and allow them to suffer the consequences of those choices. Then there are the times that you actually bring them to pain for their own good, like their immunizations and the dentist or potty training (in my case this nearly killed me and them!) And they don't always understand why or what's happening they only know it hurts.
If you are like me when you are thinking about God NOT being the author of evil then you immediately thing of God "hardening" Pharaoh's heart several times in the Bible. I did a bit of reading on that one too and it seems that the Hebrew root word of to harden is the same as to strengthen. In that way we could read that God strengthened or allowed to be strengthened the resolve that was already in Pharaoh's heart. This makes sense. Since as a Calvinist christian I believe that God calls FIRST and then we are compelled to answer it's not God's fault if He allows some one's own sinful resolve to strengthen, He didn't GIVE Pharaoh the idea He just let him run with it.
We are living in a monster of our own making. We are reaping what we sowed. God sent His son so that we only have to suffer a little while (1 Peter 5:10) But suffer we shall and some more than others. That's the only guarantee. But I know this with certainty, He is not in heaven enjoying my pain, He is grieving with me anticipating the day when He shall wipe every tear from my eye! He is a loving parent holding their child's hand through an immunization. He is a caring Father hurting for His child's skinned knee even though he said "Don't take your bike down that hill."
Then after I re read all this I think of my wonderful husband and beautiful sons and I think if this world can offer so much even through grief and pain and heartache, imagine what a perfect world will offer? And I think that's the point! Always looking forward, with the goal in sight but also enjoying the gifts this fleeting life.
Here are some of the articles I read, if you want your own google doctorate: The Will of God R.C. Sproul, God Harden's Hearts - What does that mean?, Who Hardened Pharaoh's Heart?, Permissive Will,
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