October 28, 2006
Good Out Of Evil
READ: Romans 8:18-28
We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. —Romans 8:28
The events of life can challenge our trust in the Scriptures. Romans 8:28 teaches that God can bring good out of "all things." But in August 2004 "all things" seemed hard to fathom. Some longtime friends of mine contacted me and others asking prayer for their son and his fiancée who were missing. It was so out of character for Jason and Lindsay that we feared the worst. Several days later, their murdered bodies were found, just 2 weeks before their wedding.
In those troubling days, "all things" seemed incapable of including such a senseless act. Yet the victims' families were amazing in their resolve to trust Jesus Christ, reaffirming their confidence that God would graciously bring good out of great evil.
In the following months, incredible stories began to roll in. Through letters, e-mail, and phone calls, we heard of people who had seen the families' example in the media coverage and had come to Christ. Eternal destinies had been changed and lives had been won through the testimonies of Jason and Lindsay and their families.
Nothing could ever justify those murders or replace precious lives cut short. But we are drawn again to hope, for we see God's ability to bring good out of evil.
Yet earth and heaven tell
God sits as sovereign on the throne
And ruleth all things well. —Gerhardt