Devotion - Thursday, March 14

Spring Break is next week.  That means the campus will be empty and I will be away.  A group of us are heading to Mt. Airy, NC, to build houses with Habitat for Humanity.  Keep us in your prayers.

It also means that today is the last of my offerings on Romans.  When I return, we will be in Holy Week.  The Lectionary shifts its selections away from Romans.  So I pray that you will continue your own reading of these verses, even without my commentary on them.

I do want to comment on one more verse.  It is actually part of tomorrow's reading.  It is Romans 8:28:  "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. "

Paul isn't saying that everything which happens in our lives is good; he isn't supporting the often ill-offered advice that "everything happens for a reason."  He is saying that regardless of what comes in our lives, we can find occasion to be strengthened in our conviction.

In the previous verses, he reminded us "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words."  When we are hard pressed, it is the Spirit who fills in the gaps; when we are confounded, it is the Spirit which brings us hope.

All things work together for good in the lives of those who know God and trust God.  In all things we are able to remain firm in our faith and in our confidence that we will not be separated from God.  So long as we remain attached to God, all things do fall into place and form a cohesive whole.