Today is August 28th, also known as 8-28. For me this day is an annual reminder of the promise of God found in the book of Romans. There Paul writes:
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28 ESV).
For me it is one of the most powerful promises that God has given us. It is a promise that is not only true on this day of the year; it is a promise that is true every moment of every day. It was true before time began and it will forever be true.
It is a promise that remains true even when we don’t recognize it. It remains true in good times and bad. It is true in life and in death. It is true in health and in illness. It is true in prosperity and in poverty. It is true in the sunshine and the storms.
Paul begins the statement by saying “we know….” He doesn’t say, “we hope….” And he doesn’t qualify the knowing by limiting it to some of the time. It is an unqualified, absolute, always “knowing”. We often talk about the laws of nature – “what goes up, must come down”; or “every object will remain at rest unless compelled to change by an action or external force”. We take those as absolutes. And Paul tells us that this promise is an absolute spiritual “law” – not to be refuted and always to be relied upon.
Then he tells us to whom this absolute “law” applies. It does not apply universally to everyone. It applies to those who love God. We need to be careful with that one because in 2019 we tend to use that word “love” in so many ways that it has lost its meaning. For example, i love Mexican food. That is until i am eating Indian food, and then i love Indian food. But my love for Indian food is just as fickle, because it only lasts until i am eating the next thing. The “love” Paul is talking about is unchanging. It is everlasting. It means i love Him with all of my body, soul and spirit. It means that i have totally surrendered myself to God. It doesn’t mean i’m sinless. It doesn’t mean i never fail. But it does mean that i have completely surrendered my life – without reservation – to the One who loves me absolutely.
But Paul further defines who this promise is given to by saying “for those who are called according to His purpose.” “Those who love God” is looking from our perspective at God. But this further definition is looking at us from God’s perspective. We haven’t entered into a personal relationship with Him based upon our works or our goodness. Our saving relationship with Him is entirely predicated by the grace He has extended to us through the saving work of Jesus on the cross. He is mine – because by His grace i am His. i love Him because He first loved me. Even this very promise in Romans 8:28 has been bought and paid for with the blood of Jesus. God gave His Son that we might have this promise – and so much more! So as i rest in His love, i can KNOW.
Paul says this law applies to ALL things. That’s often the hard part for us. ALL things! He doesn’t say the good things or the beautiful things or the happy things or the bountiful things. He says ALL things. That includes the bad and the ugly. It includes the sorrows as well as the joys. It includes the hardships as well as the blessings. It includes the pain as well as the pleasure. No matter what i am experiencing i can KNOW that God is working in and through it ALL. That’s easy to comprehend in the midst of the blessings – after all, God is a loving God, but it almost feels like He is heartless in the midst of our hardships. But we are to KNOW that the promise – or the law, if you will – applies to ALL things – nothing left out.
And what’s the promise? That ALL things work together for GOOD. That’s easy to say when the “things” are good. It’s not a stretch to believe that good can come from good. But Paul is telling us that we can KNOW – without reservation – that good can even come from bad. Our immediate reaction is to question God. “God, surely You don’t mean good can come from ________?” (You fill in the blank.) No matter what we put in the blank, the answer is “yes”.
We often ignore or forget about the verses that surround verse 28 in the chapter in Romans. Paul was writing to believers that were being persecuted for their faith in Christ. He was giving this promise to people who were experiencing tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger and death (Romans 8:36). He was not writing a nice greeting card platitude. He was writing to followers who were going through the toughest of times. And Paul was not writing that they – or we – will escape those difficulties; rather, our Sovereign Almighty God will make every one of those difficulties – and blessings – an instrument of His mercy to do us GOOD.
There will be times when we are permitted to see the good that came – even from the bad – on this side of eternity. He will allow us to see first-hand how something that was intended for evil was used for good (Genesis 50:20). But most of the time – if Jesus continues to tarry in His return – we will not have a clue what that “good” could possibly be until after we have passed through death.
That’s why holding on to this promise is SO important. Do not lose hope. If you are a follower of Jesus, you can KNOW that God is working in and through your every experience – ALL things – for GOOD. Remember – every day is “Eight Twenty-Eight”. Hold onto that truth no matter what you are experiencing today.
Nothing can separate
Even if I ran away
Your love never fails
I know I still make mistakes
But You have new mercies for me every day
Your love never fails
You stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
And may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage
I don't have to be afraid
Because I know that You love me
Your love never fails
The wind is strong and the water's deep
I'm not alone in these open seas
'Cause Your love never fails
The chasm is far too wide
I never thought I'd reach the other side
'Cause Your love never fails
'Cause you stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
There may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage
I don't have to be afraid
Because I know that You love me
Oh no, love never fails
'Cause You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
'Cause you stay
'Cause you stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
It may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage
I don't have to be afraid
Because I know that You love me
Love never fails
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make, you make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
'Cause You make all things work together for my good
'Cause you stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
It may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage
I don't have to be afraid
Because I know that You love me
Never fails
Songwriters: Anthony Warren Skinner / Christopher Andrew McClarney
Your Love Never Fails lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group