I’ve read that ADHD folks like me are accident
prone. As a class of people on the
whole, we’re just clumsy. I guess
because we can’t pay enough attention to walking to be able to do it without
complications. And as for me, although I
don’t like to admit it, I just make a ton of mistakes. Writing these devotionals has been enormously
taxing on me, since I have a bad habit of thinking MUCH faster than I
type. And so I type things – or write
them out long-hand – and end up leaving out half a dozen randomly-scattered words
(you’ve probably seen some go out that way).
So I type these, let them sit and ferment for a bit, then go back and
fix all the words that I’ve left out.
Because, like I said, I don’t like to admit it – but I do make mistakes. And as if to prove my own point, in
proof-reading this first, short paragraph, I’ve fixed four “left out” words.
Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love
him, who are called according
to his purpose.” But I look at some of the bad things that I’ve seen happen
lately. Either by bad personal choices,
or accidents that couldn’t be changed or avoided. And families are devastated. Sometimes people die. Innocent people driving on their way to a
family vacation get caught up in an accident that they couldn’t avoid or
foresee. And I find myself scratching my
head and wondering how God is working for good in a tragedy like this. But I’m not alone. And I suppose our ability to find a “good”
depends a great deal on our perspective (and our relation to the tragedy). But I was reading lately, and of course it
was good, old Peter. Brash,
quick-acting, think-it-through-later Peter that made me realize exactly what
God means that all things work for good.
And the scene dissolves movie-style and the film becomes sepia-toned as
we fade back to that night…
Jesus on trial (I know you know this one, so I’ll be
brief) and three times Peter denies knowing Jesus at all. “no, I’m not one of his disciples, I don’t
even KNOW this guy! Cursing, cursing!”
(Mark 14:71) And that’s the example I
always think of when my faith falls short.
Peter walked with Jesus for a LONG time, and when push came to shove
Peter denied knowing Him at all. And,
boy, that sounds pretty bad. But what
might have happened had Peter stood strong?
It might have been Peter hanging on one of those three crosses that
day. Jesus in the middle, and instead of
two thieves, it was Peter and the mocking thief. And how does that change things? Well, there’s at least one thief that Jesus
told would be with Him in Paradise that wouldn’t have. One thief mocks Jesus, the other sees Jesus
for who He is. If Peter is on that
cross, then maybe that redeemed thief never finds his salvation. So there’s a “good” that happened. The sermon on Pentecost in Acts 2 followed
that. Then Peter raised Dorcus from the
dead, and Acts 9 says that people all throughout Joppa heard of this and
believed in the Lord. Then Peter has a
vision of clean and unclean animals telling him that the gospel of Jesus Christ
was for everyone – not just the Jewish Nation.
So when Cornelius the Centurion sends for Peter, he goes. And baptizes Gentiles into Jesus Christ’s
body. I would certainly call that a
“good”. Somewhere between 64 and 68 AD
(we assume), he wrote 1 and 2 Peter – which include some of my favorite Bible
reading. Including one of my favorites
for those that doubt my beliefs – 2 Peter 1:16 “For we did not follow cleverly concocted fables when we made known to
you the power and return of our Lord Jesus Christ; no, we were eyewitnesses of
his grandeur.” I just love
Peter. I’m not alone, I know…but man,
when I look at where I’ve been, and where I’ve changed from there…man, I just
love Peter.
So Listen for the Whisper that tells you that all things
work for the good of those that love God.
That doesn’t mean that only good things will happen, but that God can
take anything and make something good come out of it. My dad died of pancreatic cancer – but not
before he found Life. Saul persecuted a
young church – and then died in Rome feeding that very church. Peter stood there watching Jesus on trial and
denied even knowing who he was…and then took off like a man possessed. Bad things happen, and people make bad
choices. But don’t sell God short in His
ability to use those circumstances to His glory…because in the end, it’s about
His glory…it’s not about you. My
mistakes may not make me look good, but if will just get out of the way when
they happen, God can use them to do great things!
~Dwayne
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