Hope: As It Is in Heaven, So Be It on EarthSample

Welcome to the last day of our devotional series about Hope. Today, we focus on Romans 8:28

We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.

You've probably heard the funny story about the monks in the Middle Ages who copied very important church documents by hand. Different rooms in the monastery were designated for the copying of different documents. On a day like any other day, one of the monks started shouting from one of the rooms.

“We've missed it. We've missed it.” All the other monks ran to the room and asked him, “Who has missed what?” He was still shaking his head in disbelief and said, “We’ve missed it. I read the original manuscript. We missed the “r.” The word is celeb-r-ate.” This is just a funny little story, but words can really make a world of difference.

That's also true about today's verse. Most of us learned it as “all things work together for good for those who love God.” Just to say quickly, there are quite a few Bibles where the original language is translated as in the translation we use today, and many prominent New Testament scholars also encourage this translation.

Listen again and spot the difference: We know that in everything, God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.

The sentence starts with, “We know.” As we've journeyed these couple of weeks, we know that there's knowledge that comes through beholding King Jesus and giving careful consideration to what we discover. We know that God promised to renew his whole creation. We know the resurrection of Jesus shows that this promise is busy going into fulfillment. We know that Jesus is the Christ, the anointed King who leads this project of renewal. Through Jesus and by the Spirit, heaven, and earth - the two spheres of God’s creation – have been joined together, and the Kingdom of heaven is coming on earth: Hope as it is in heaven can now be on earth.

For this purpose of God, we are called. And here comes the word that makes a world of difference: we know that in everything, God works for good with those who love Him. God works with his children, who share their Father’s heart and vision for his creation. Children who pray with His Spirit for a world groaning because it still awaits total renewal. God is at work with those who love Him for good in everything. Just like when He created in the beginning, God is again busy with a good work. But this time, He shares this work with us.

Remember, a new creation, unlike the first creation, isn’t created out of nothing. God is taking the old and making it new. Nothing is too broken, too bad, too far gone that God cannot bring new life from it. This is the hope we have been saved into, and because God chose to work with us, this is the Hope we represent. I can think of no higher calling and purpose to live for.

Where things are still broken, we partner with God, beginning with prayer. We also give ourselves in prayer to work with God. Then, we use our resources, abilities, and gifts to work with God to make things new, trusting the Spirit to lead us.

We have come to the end of this four-week series, but the conversation about how we can be hope carriers in homes, places of work, and communities has just started. Please stay engaged and journey together.

And so, we pray: Our Father, let your kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. By your Spirit, help us to continue to behold King Jesus and learn about your Kingdom. We give ourselves for this hope-bringing mission: empower us and use us. For the glory of the name of King Jesus, we pray this. Amen

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