God Works Together With Us For Our Good 

Dear All

Please see below the link to my pre-recorded service for Sunday 26 July and attached for my written reflections.

https://youtu.be/Ef4vJfit7lM

GOD WORKS TOGETHER WITH US FOR OUR GOOD

GOD WORKS TOGETHER WITH US FOR OUR GOOD

Text: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).
Reading: Romans 8: 26-39
Hymn: Through the love of God our Saviour – StF 639

I don’t know how it works with you, but I struggle to sift out what is good from any predicament I go through. While the difficult situation pursues me and, in my fight, to overcome it, I do not get the patience to pause and ask myself ‘what is the good that can come out of this?’ or ‘how can I see the good reason for which this unpleasant situation befell me?’ More often than not, it is only the gift of hindsight that helps me, after I have been delivered from such catastrophic situations, to realise how it has shaped me and made me
different or better.

In Romans 8, Paul describes life in the Spirit, contrasts our present suffering to the glory to be revealed and proclaims our status in Christ as conquerors over all danger. Paul also acknowledges that in difficult times when our prayers are meaningless, the spirit of God
helps us by taking our words and transforming them into intercessions. Thus, right through the storms of life, the Godhead is with us to perfect his purpose.

To Paul that purpose of God is to work out the best for us.
While other translations imply in Romans 8:28 that all things work together for good for those who love God, the NIV emphasise that it is God who in all things works for our good. It is not the things that happen to us, it is not the troubles we go through, it is not the
sufferings we encounter that work together for our good. Rather, it is God who in all things, works together with those who love him to bring about what is good. Whenever we face struggles, God invites us to commit ourselves to working with him so that the result will be
good.

With COVID-19, we may struggle to see anything good, while we are locked down, social distancing, unable to do the things we love. It is even more difficult for those who are losing income, job, loved ones and the sense of community, to pause and reflect whether there is
anything good in the pandemic. However, we are all aware of how the situation thought us many new ways of living and taking care of ourselves and the earth, though at a very high cost, including human lives. It is my prayer that God’s Spirit will enable us to conquer COVID-19 soon so that we can look back and see the good that he has worked together with us to bring out of the pandemic. God bless you.

Stay blessed

Kofi