June 11 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Romans 8:28–32

Devotional

“If God be for us, who can be against us?” This implies that enemies, by their enmity, can cause all things to work together for good to them that love God. There is not one enemy in hell, or in our own heart, or on earth, who can pierce so deep into God’s children that they are mortally wounded. There is a battle, but it is a blessed battle. With God we can never lose the battle. “If God be for us, who can be against us?” Nothing that is good can escape man and nothing that is evil can hurt him. Can we also say that God is for us?

According to our natural existence, we all have God against us. Those who have learned to rejoice that God is for them, first had to learn that God was against them. And to have God against you is to have everything against you. All things in your life were under the curse and you were on a journey to the everlasting, bottomless pit. You had everything against you, even if according to earthly standards everything was for you.

Do not flatter yourself that God is for you when He sends you external blessings. They are not necessarily evidences of God’s favor. Do not rejoice too soon that God is with you. That is what the Israelites did. When the ark of God was brought into the army, they rejoiced with such a loud rejoicing that the earth trembled. But they rejoiced too soon, because the ark was only the sign of God’s presence. With all the outward signs, they still lacked the content itself.

If you, however, by grace know that God is for you, then you are forever blessed. How is it possible that God can be for a people who in themselves are corrupt and obstinate? It is only possible because of God’s everlasting good pleasure. That is the good pleasure of Him who is called Immanuel. Immanuel means “God with us.” He met God as His holy Adversary, while never before had He been against Him. This would only be changed when He would finish His work as Surety.

People of God, so often you go through life wrestling and fretting as if there were no God in heaven. If you were alone in the struggles of life, then it would indeed be a hopeless case for you. But your God’s name is Jehovah. He is the immutable One. He is the faithful One. And He has sworn to be for you, not against you! “If God be for us, who can be against us?” This shall fully be revealed in eternity, for God works towards eternity.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.