Just Such A TimeSample

## A Time To See I love the truth contained in Romans 8. It’s not telling us that God is some kind of cosmic puppet master who is pulling the strings of our lives, causing prosperity or pain according to His desire. Neither is it a fatalistic explanation of the will of God. Rather, I like to explain this verse using the metaphor of a movie editor. God is the one who sees every frame of your life – beginning, middle and end – and orders (edits, if you will) your journey for the best possible outcome. This concept of God working everything out for the good of those who love Him actually comes with a caveat. The promise of redeeming our dramas, buying back our bad moves, and paying for our chaos is subject to us recognizing that, in doing so, God is constantly, continuously, making good come from our ghastly , because our lives are intrinsically linked to carrying out His purposes on earth. We know this, but we don't always see it with the eyes of faith. We pay more attention to the mire than the miracle. It’s easy to forget that God is working on our behalf; easy to take it all for granted. After a period of sickness my physical eyesight began to deteriorate. But the same sickness also took its toll on my eyes of faith. I was someone who once saw Jesus, His love and provision, in every day and in every way. But as darkness descended, it became harder to see. It’s very easy to begin failing to detect the goodness of God’s workings. Why not take a moment now to reflect and see some “redemption memories”: How God took some challenging situations in your life and managed to bring good out of them. Only God could take our affliction and accidents, our strife and sin, and bring something beautiful out of them. Who else but the risen Savior can intercede for us, so that in the midst of our ordinary, the extraordinary can emerge? Don’t be despondent or discouraged today. As you cling to Him, His purposes pursue you. You are called to do His work. Your purpose is unfolding, right where you are. It’s time to see Him and all He’s done for you.