All Things for Good

“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 

This verse does not promise that everything in life will be easy or pleasant. But it does promise something greater: that God is at work in all things—the joyful and the painful, the clear and the confusing—for the good of those who love Him. Nothing is wasted in His hands.

Paul writes just a few verses earlier that “the Spirit helps us in our weakness” (Romans 8:26), and later that “nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:39). These verses surround Romans 8:28 like protective arms, reminding us that even when we don’t understand the why, we can trust the Who.

God’s idea of “good” is not always what we expect. His good is often the quiet work of transformation—making us more like Christ. It may come not through deliverance from trials, but through endurance within them. The deepest good God works in us is not comfort, but Christlikeness—shaping our hearts, refining our character, and anchoring us in His love.

Suffering, then, is not pointless. It can be the very place where God does His deepest work. When we surrender even our confusion to Him, we find that He is already present—redeeming, shaping, and weaving our story into His. Pain often exposes the raw places in us that still need healing, dependence, or trust. And it’s there, in the midst of our weakness and vulnerability, that God begins to mold us more fully into the image of His Son.

In the classroom of real life—through loss, waiting, setbacks, and silent prayers—God is at work. His forming is gentle but sure, patient but persistent. And through it all, we come to know not only the truth of Romans 8:28, but the God behind it: faithful, loving, and always working for our eternal good.

That is our confidence. That is our peace.

Prayer

Lord, thank You that in all things You are working for our good. Even when we don’t understand, help us to trust You. Shape us through every season, and let Your purpose be fulfilled in our lives.

Amen.

Whatever we’re facing today, let us remember: God is at work—even here, even now—for our good.

Abba, Father

Adopted by Love

Reading: Romans 8:1-17

“The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.

 And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” 

Romans 8:15 

There are few words more tender and powerful than “Abba.” It is the cry of children reaching for the arms of one they trust—the language of intimacy, dependence, and affection. Astonishingly, through the Holy Spirit, we are taught to call the Creator of the universe Abba, Father.

We are not guests in God’s house or strangers trying to earn a place at His table. We are adopted—intentionally welcomed into His family through Jesus Christ. William Barclay writes, “The word adoption may well sound strange to our ears in this context, but in the Roman world, where family inheritance and position were of great importance, adoption was a deliberate act of love and privilege.” We are not born into this status—we are chosen for it.

God is not a distant ruler but a loving Father. In calling Him “Abba,” we come close, not in formality but in familial tenderness. Alexander Maclaren observes, “That one word, ‘Abba,’ conveys the essence of childlike confidence and unreserved love. It brings God down to the level of our hearts.” The Spirit within us assures us that we belong.

This adoption gives us the greatest security. We are no longer enslaved by fear, doubt, or guilt. “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18). The Spirit of God fills our hearts with this perfect love, casting out the fear of rejection or condemnation. The Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children—and as children, we are heirs—co-heirs with Christ. Our inheritance is not fleeting wealth but eternal glory. Though we may suffer, our hope is anchored in the promise of resurrection and renewal.

Let us live today knowing that we are fully loved, eternally secure, and intimately known. We are children of the Most High—called by name, welcomed in grace, and sealed with His Spirit.

Prayer:

Abba Father, thank You for adopting us into Your family. Thank You that we are not strangers, but beloved children—loved, secure, and welcomed. Let Your Spirit continually remind us of who we are and Whose we are. Help us to live in the freedom, intimacy, and confidence that comes from being Your children. 

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Struggle Is a Sign of Life

Reading: Romans 7:7–25

“What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” —Romans 7:24–25

The apostle Paul gives voice to a battle many believers know all too well: “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”(Romans 7:15) This isn’t the confession of a backslider or a hypocrite—it’s the honest lament of a saint deeply aware of both the beauty of God’s law and the brokenness of human nature. The law shows us what is good, but it lacks the power to save us. Only Jesus has the power to save.

This passage reminds us that Christian maturity does not mean the absence of struggle—it often means the presence of deeper struggle. As we draw closer to Christ, we become more aware of the sin that still clings to us. Yet instead of leading us to despair, this awareness pushes us toward grace.

Charles Spurgeon wrote, “The more holy a man becomes, the more he mourns over the unholiness which remains in him.” The struggle itself is not a sign of failure; it is a sign of life—a sign that the Holy Spirit is at work in us.

As believers we experience a continual struggle between the flesh and the Spirit, the battle itself does not signify defeat. The war may rage on, but sin no longer reigns. Though we feel the pull of old habits and temptations, they no longer hold ultimate authority over us. The Spirit of God gives us power to resist, strength to endure, and grace to rise again when we fall. We are not left to the tyranny of our impulses—we are held by the mercy of Christ, who has broken sin’s dominion.

So cry out like Paul, not with hopelessness, but with gratitude:    

“Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

Prayer:

Lord, I cry out for help. I am tired of failing. I long to do what is right, but I need Your strength. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so I may live the life You call me to. Thank You that the battle is not mine alone—You are my deliverer. Amen.

The Gift That Lasts Forever

“For the wages of sin is death, 

but the gift of God is eternal life 

in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 6:23 

Romans 6:23 holds the gospel in a single sentence. It tells us the bad news first—what sin earns is death. Then it brings the astonishing good news: God offers a gift, not a wage. Eternal life, freely given, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Unlike earthly gifts that wear out, fade, or break, this gift is perfect, everlasting, and secure. It cannot be earned, bought, or bargained for. As Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:8–9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” 

William Barclay put it simply: “Sin earns a wage, and the wage is death. But God gives a free gift, and the gift is eternal life.” We can never do enough to earn salvation. It is grace from beginning to end. Even our best efforts fall short of His glory, but His mercy bridges the gap.

 Let it shape how we think, speak, and act—because when we remember what we’ve been given, we are moved to live differently. We no longer strive for approval; we rest in acceptance. We don’t serve God to earn His love—we serve Him because we already have it. Eternal life isn’t just a promise for tomorrow; it’s a new way of living today, grounded in grace and overflowing with hope.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of eternal life. I could never earn it, but You gave it freely through Your death and resurrection. Help me to receive it daily with joy and to live in gratitude and freedom. I surrender again today to Your mercy and love. Amen.

All My Springs Are in You

Singers and pipers will say, 

‘All my springs of joy are in You.’

Psalm 87:7 

Psalm 87 ends with a picture of joyful worship: “Singers and pipers will say, ‘All my springs of joy are in You.’” It is a poetic and prophetic glimpse of God’s people declaring, in word and song, that all their life, hope, and joy come from Him alone.

In the ancient world, springs were precious—hidden sources of fresh water in a dry and weary land. To say, “All my springs are in You,” is to affirm that God is our deepest and truest source of sustenance. Just as water refreshes the body, God refreshes the soul. Isaiah 12:3 echoes this image: “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” And Jesus fulfills this promise in John 7:38: “Whoever believes in me… rivers of living water will flow from within them.” That living water is the Holy Spirit, the wellspring of divine joy within every believer.

The mention of singers and pipers reminds us that music is a God-given gift for worship. In ancient Israel, music was central to temple life—offered in gratitude, lament, and celebration. Psalm 150 calls us to “praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet… harp and lyre… tambourine and dancing.” Worship engages the whole being—mind, body, and spirit—and music becomes a vessel of joy when directed to the Giver of every good gift.

This psalm also reflects the beauty of communal worship. The joy is not hidden or solitary—it is sung aloud, shared in public, proclaimed with music. In a world of distraction and dryness, we are reminded to gather with God’s people and celebrate together the source of all joy.

Prayer:

Lord, You are the spring of every joy, the fountain of life, the music in our hearts. Teach us to draw from Your Spirit daily. Let our worship be joyful and full, both privately and in community. May we always declare with heart and voice, “All my springs are in You.” Amen.

Grace Greater Than All Our Sin

Where sin increased, grace increased all the more.

Romans 5:20

Grace is not a gentle whisper that retreats in the face of evil. It is the roaring river of God’s goodness that floods injustice, transforms hardened hearts, and restores what was broken. Grace is God’s decisive action in a world of disorder. It is not passive pity—it is holy power.

In Romans 5:20, Paul writes, “But where sin increased, grace increased all the more.” This isn’t just comfort for the guilty; it’s a declaration of hope for us all. God’s grace doesn’t ignore sin—it confronts it. It doesn’t excuse injustice—it overcomes it. Grace steps into the darkest places and declares that sin and death do not get the final word.

Eugene Peterson put it this way: “Grace is the most powerful force in the universe. It is God’s aggressive initiative to restore creation to its original beauty.” It is grace that takes the broken pieces of our lives and realigns them in Christ. We were rebels, but by grace, we are called children. We were far off, but by grace, we are brought near (Ephesians 2:13).

Henri Nouwen once wrote, “Grace is the voice that calls us to change and gives us the power to pull it off.” It is not cheap grace that overlooks evil, but costly grace that bleeds and rises to conquer it. It meets us in our lowest places and refuses to leave us unchanged. Grace calls us into the light, not just to be forgiven, but to be made whole.

Prayer

Gracious Father,

Thank You that where sin and injustice abound, Your grace abounds more. Thank You that Your love is not weak or sentimental, but fierce and redemptive. Confront the darkness in us with Your light. Transform our wounds with Your mercy. Use us to carry the message of hope to a broken world. Let us live daily in the wonder of grace—given, not earned; powerful, not passive. In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Love That Fills and Flows

 

God’s Love has been poured out into our Hearts 

Through the Holy Spirit, Who has been given to us.

Romans 5:5

There are seasons when we feel collectively dry—spiritually weary, emotionally stretched, or burdened by the brokenness of our world. But Romans 5:5 offers us a powerful assurance: God’s love has been poured into our hearts, not sparingly, but in abundance. Through the Holy Spirit, God floods our inner lives with His steadfast affection.

This is not just a doctrine we affirm—it is an experience we are meant to live. Alexander Maclaren said, “The love of God is not only shown in the gift of Christ, it is shed abroad in the believer’s heart by the Spirit.” His love grounds us, empowers us, and renews us when we falter.

Charles Spurgeon reminded us, “It is joy to feel the love of God; it is heaven to be conscious of it.” And as that love fills our hearts, it inevitably flows outward. We begin to love one another more deeply, serve more freely, and forgive more generously—not because we are good, but because God’s goodness is in us.

Charles Hodge observed, “The assurance of God’s love does not come merely from reasoning, but from experience—through the Spirit’s inward witness.” It is not just something we conclude in our minds, but something we encounter deep within. This inward assurance sustains us in suffering and strengthens our confidence that we are truly and eternally loved by God.

So we ask ourselves: are we letting God’s love fill us each day? Are we allowing it to shape our words, our thoughts, and our relationships? When we do, we walk not in fear or striving, but in the Spirit’s power—marked by mercy, overflowing with grace.

🙏 Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for pouring Your love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Fill us again today. Heal our wounds, quiet our fears, and overflow in us so that we may love others as You have loved us. Amen.