ALL things serve God’s purposes

 

Last week I got a call from someone who wanted to talk about the injustice and evil in the world. By the end of our conversation, he was saying that God uses all that evil for His purposes, even to bring many to salvation. He acknowledged God's sovereignty, and His wisdom in what He does.

Today’s reading says the same thing in a different way, beginning with these verses:

By your appointment they stand this day, for all things are your servants. (Psalm 119:91)

So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, (1 Corinthians 3:21–22)

The word ALL is key. It refers to all things, not a few, not just on Sundays, not just the good things or godly people, but all things are God’s servants, made to work together to accomplish His purposes. This is difficult for us because we believe in His love and goodness. How can He govern evil? Yet if He does not, then we cannot say He is sovereign.

I don’t understand it, nor can anyone else. The devotional writer says the Lord does not inaugurate evil, yet His power makes it His “servant” to bring blessing to His people as it transforms us into the image of His Son:

And we know that for those who love God all things 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 the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:28–29)

The psalmist speaks of the enemies of the gospel and their treatment of God’s people, yet also how God can use them to bring Him glory:

The insolent have dug pitfalls for me; they do not live according to your law. (Psalm 119:85) yet…

Surely the wrath of man shall praise you; the remnant of wrath you will put on like a belt. (Psalm 76:10)

Thoughts like this give me peace even in watching all the bad news. The whole world seems to be lost in evil yet at the same time God is using it. Some are standing against evil because they are seeing the results. For instance, government officials are ruling that schools must display God’s commands. This week, the gospel was presented to thousands at the beginning of a world class soccer game. Several have said we would not know the power of God without the presence of evil and seeing Him use it. It blesses us when evil is confronted, at least the evil of others...

Yesterday’s sermon at our church was about the way our heavenly Father disciplines us for our good. He often uses hardship to help us see the importance of obeying Him. His methods can even seem like punishment, yet His incredible love put our punishment on His Son. Jesus needed no training in righteousness, but I do, and God uses all things for that training, even the evil in the world to combat the sin in me. At the same time He assures me that this is not His anger at sin but His great love for me and desire for my good.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38–39)

PRAY: Jesus, what can I say to this? Your great love uses evil for Your purposes. You use it to show a sin-sick world how much we need You. You use it for my good (not always for my comfort) so that I might experience the greatest good anyone could have — to become more like You, the perfect man. While You do not ask me to embrace evil, this amazing truth invites me to praise You for such amazing grace and power, and erases my fears when troubles come. Yes, You are an amazing God!