“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.”

Do you believe that? Do you believe that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him?

Some of you told me I should print the sermon I preached two weeks ago on Jesus’ invitation,

“Come to me you who are heavy laden
and I will give you rest.”

If I could summarize that sermon in a sentence or two I would say the sermon was an invitation to stop being an Indian giver when it comes to your burdens.   Leave your burdens, your fears, and your worries at Jesus’ altar and don’t take them home when you leave.

Along with the request for a copy of that sermon, I also was told that leaving burdens at Jesus’ altar is easier said than done.   The truth is that when you go home after worship, you are going home to face the burdens.   Jesus didn’t whisk them away.

That person is right.  Your worshipping this morning is not going to eradicate from your life, your troubles, your ill health, your financial burdens, or your daily responsibilities.  What your worshipping will do is awaken you to the truth that God will help you in your weakness.

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”

“And we know that in all things God works
for the good of those who love Him.”

Do you honestly believe the truth of these words?

I can understand it if you don’t.  Let’s face it, the world seems out of control.  We live with a threat of terrorism, terminal diseases, war, financial instability, declining morals, a movement to remove God not just from our pledge but also from our country.  We rack our brains trying to understand.  Add to our frustration that when we cry out to God seeking answers our whys are answered with silence.   If that is not enough to cause anyone question the greatness of God then add to it the injustices of life.

You have worked years to build your investment portfolio so you could retire comfortably only to see it cut in third in the last year.  You are working hard to make ends meet and we are barely surviving while others are using the system as well as cheating the system and getting ahead.

Too often we have experienced first hand the injustice Jacob experienced.   He worked seven years for the hand of Laban’s daughter Rachel.   And when those seven years were up he was tricked and given the hand of his other daughter Leah.   We all have stories where we played by the rules and got burned.  Who hasn’t thought or said, “If God works for the good of those who love Him where is His goodness? Why hasn’t he removed my pain?  Why hasn’t He remedied my situation?

Have you ever stopped and asked yourself what you are doing when you raise these questions?   If God works for the good of those who love Him then where is His goodness?   You are questioning the dominion of God.

Think about it.   When you experience the harsh realities of life, what do you pray for?   Do you ask God to make Himself known in the harsh realities or God to remove them?   Do you pray for your will to be done OR God’s will to be done?   Do you pray as Jesus prayed in the garden,

“Father, take this cup away from me,
yet not my will but Your will be done.”

Do our prayers respond as that of Solomon, who when he succeeded his father David as king, God in almost genie like fashion said to Solomon,

“Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

Do you remember what Solomon asked for?  Most people remember He asked for “a discerning heart to govern Your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.”  But more importantly before he made his request Solomon remembered the greatness of God.  Solomon answered, “ You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David…” Solomon and Jesus give us an example as to how we should pray when faced with the harsh realities of life.  Confident that, in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

Make no mistake life will at times be harsh.  Trouble, hardship, famine, danger and sword are part of life.

BUT,

“We are more than conquerers through Him who loved us.   For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Nothing is greater than the dominion of God. Nothing is greater than the love of God that is in Christ Jesus your Lord. If you believe this overwhelming assurance, than you need not be afraid.