December 5 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Romans 8:18-28:

¹⁸For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
¹⁹For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
²⁰For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
²¹Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
²²For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
²³And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
²⁴For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
²⁵But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
²⁶Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
²⁷And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
²⁸And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Devotional

"Yea, that all things must work together for my salvation" (Heidelberg Catechism 1).

It was during the French Revolution; a rich young man wooed and won a respectable young woman. They lived happily together for some years, when the man influenced by the spirit of the times, after losing their fortune, and after losing their only child, a son 16 years old, in despair joined the revolutionary forces. During the time of their distress the wife had faithfully stood by her husband. Then came the terrible day for her. On Novem­ber 22, 1798, her husband failed to come home. Think of the anguish of this woman, who mourned the loss of her only child! After a while she heard where her husband was. She went there afoot. When arriving there, she is told that her husband had joined the army. No one knew where he was. In her anguish and despair she returns home. In a small town she stays over night. She spent the night weeping. In the morning she hears a child's voice in the adjoining room, "Yea, all things must work together for my salvation . . . . " "Yea all thing must . . . . "Yea all things must . . . . " The child was learning his cate­chism lesson. And the only comfort in life and in death entered the woman's soul. She asked forgiveness for her husband, who returned after a few years, sick and a cripple. She took care of him. He died with the confession on his lips, "It is true." All things work together for my salvation.

Prayer

Our Father, we know not the way that lies before us. We know that Thou hast promised that all things shall work together for good to them that love Thee. Lead us onward and upward, even if we must go through a vale of tears. May we realize that nothing comes to us by chance, but that all things come to us by Thy fatherly hand, and that nothing can separate us from Thy love. O God, help us to cling in faith to Thy Word, knowing that Thy Word is truth. In Jesus' name, and for his sake we pray. Amen.

Click here for background on Light and Comfort and the author.