It has been a long time since I have posted my thoughts here. I am not without good reason. My mother always told me growing up that if I didn't have anything good to say, then I wasn't to say anything at all. I don't follow that nearly as often as I ought, but I did have the presence of mind to see that it applied to my online entries.
Therefore, as my absence indicates, it has been an incredibly difficult few months. In fact I would say that this semester has been the hardest period of time since God, in his infinite mercy, caused me to behold Christ as Lord of my life. Until a recent trip to North Carolina, I was part of a losing soccer team, I had taken an ambulance ride to the ER, I was failing in one of my classes, I had horrible migraines that were lasting for days at a time, I was bitter, frustrated, and very prone to anger, and lastly I felt disconnected from my Savior. I didn't even want to be in college anymore. Bluntly put, I was a mess. Something had to change....
Well... Soccer season ended and I utilized the new injection of time to better my studies. The migraine headaches continued though, even a day into my break in North Carolina. However, God did not leave me in my miserable state. He worked through the love of my other "family", the Scripture based advice of my pastor, and the Godly advice of my mentor. Their counsel corresponds to Joel 2 wherein Israel is called back to the Lord: ""Yet even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments." Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster."
I am not a perfect Christian, nor am I under any illusions about the permanency of the current situation, but the promise of the Lord is sure. "And we know that for those who love God all things will work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be called the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." (Romans 8:28-30)
I find incredible comfort in that oft quoted passage. Not so much because of the first part, the "work(ing) together for good," but in the second part, the "for those who are called according to his purpose." Some might give me weird looks right now BUT, look at the second part. The calling of God upon our lives, my life, is part of God's purpose. There is a direct link between the the good that is done in our lives and God's purpose.
My initial thoughts were two fold: 1. What is "good?" and 2. What is God's purpose?
1. I cheated on this one. I have a handy ESV study bible, complete with footnotes. In reference to this verse I found an explanation that I can't best, so in the words of some very wise scholar "if you can't beat 'em, copy 'em." So here is the summary: "The good in this context does not refer to earthly comfort but to conformity to Christ, closer fellowship with God, bearing good fruit for the kingdom, and final glorification." So the "good" is not what I define as what makes me happy right now, nor what satisfies my earthly desires, nor even how I think I will be best utilized in serving God. In short, the "good" spoken of by Paul here is a heavenly good, an eternal good. It ascribes to Yahweh God glory and honor and minimizes the importance of this wretched sinner.
2. That goes hand in hand with the answer to the second question. "What is the purpose of God?" Put differently, what is the end goal of God, the final plan of the Lord? I believe that the answer is found at the end of Romans, when Paul under the influence of the Holy Spirit pronounces his benediction upon the church there in Rome. He closes it by saying, "to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen" (Romans 16:27) Furthermore, the 24 elders in the book of Revelation point to it as well in their song, "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power..." (Rev. 4:11a) The key theme is glory. God's ultimate purpose, and our chief end in life, is to bring glory to Him. In the words of Paul again in Romans, "For from him and through him and to him and all things. To him be glory forever. Amen!" If God did not seek ultimately to glorify himself, then he would not be God. For he, by his very nature, is only worthy of glory! He cannot settle for anything else.
And from that, I see that our eternal good is caught up and intertwined with God's glory. He glorifies himself through our lives as Christians, and thus it is our duty, our obligation to ascribe to him glory. I must ascribe to my God all glory and majesty, despite the misgivings I may have about his plans. I must decrease and he must increase.
A key tenant of the reformed faith is that God accomplishes all that he purposes. I see that in verse 30 of Romans 8, "those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." No exceptions, no fall offs, no incompletes. God accomplishes everything he purposes.
I am "called according to his purpose," and his purpose is to glorify himself. I see every reason to believe that as much as he desires to bring glory to himself, he will also work everything for my good.
It is a privilege to carry my burdens to such a God. The story ends well, for right now. By God's grace I am no longer failing anything, in fact I have received my best grades to date on papers and tests etc. My migraines have since departed and I am able to sleep soundly at night. I am not frustrated nor am I angry. Daily, I earnestly seek the Lord's face and he does not turn me away.
Joel goes on to say, "You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you." (Joel 2:26a)
I echo the words of Paul, "to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen." And in accordance with the command of Joel I will "praise the name of the LORD (my) God."
In our Savior,
Martyn
