He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
This past weekend as we delved into Romans 8:32, Pastor Joe encouraged us to look for the logic, the promise, and the pattern within the passage.
We all desire a just and balanced world. But everyone knows there are times when apologies need to be made, forgiveness needs to be granted, and order and goodness need to be restored.
But forgiveness always costs something. And Paul shows us that God paid that price for us by giving up his one and only Son.
Think about the depth and magnitude of a sacrifice like that. Yet, he willingly made it while we were still sinners. Christ was crucified in order that we may no longer be condemned but crowned as a child of God.
The promise that flows from that is that God will give us all things. We would all likely be pretty quick to fill in the blanks as to what we think those things should be: relationships, security, health, etc. As God’s children, we love to suggest what we feel would be best for our lives.
But as any loving parent would attest to, children don’t always know what’s best for them. Pastor Joe lovingly reminded us that, “God will give you everything you need to become what he created you to be, which is something magnificent.”
In his new book Deeper: Real Change for Real Sinners, Dane Ortlund puts the process this way:
“The Christian life—our growth in Christ—is nothing other than the lifelong deconstruction of what we naturally think and assume and the reconstruction of truth through the Bible.”
As we face pain and hardship in this life, we can look to the pattern. God demonstrated his love for us in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. And he also left us with a pattern to look to for comfort and hope: the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday pattern.
It was on a Friday that Jesus was crucified. The disciples were shocked and heartbroken. They didn’t understand why it had to happen or what to do next.
On Saturday, the loss sank in and the dark fog of depression settled into the hearts of believers. Hope felt distant and situations felt dire.
But then came Sunday. Jesus comes back to life and suddenly everything that had to happen on Friday starts to make sense. The hopelessness of Saturday is gone with the joy of Sunday’s revelations.
We very much live in a “Friday/Saturday” world. But we can know Sunday is coming because it already did. It is evidenced in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
This pattern gives us hope when we’re struggling and truth when we’re sinking into the sadness of Friday and Saturday.
This week’s challenge is to have Romans 8:32 hand-written on an index card and displayed in a place where you can look back on it.
When you struggle this week, read the verse and remind yourself of the logic, the promise, and the pattern.
Allow that truth to seep into your heart deeper and deeper this week.
Sunday has already come. Sunday will come again. God gave his Son for you and for me. How will he not also graciously give us all things?