Today's Daily Lesson comes from Ephesians chapter 1 verse 11:
" In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will."
There is, I believe, a distinction between God's eternal will and what has sometimes been called God's proximate or contingent will.
God's eternal will is what God hopes for us in the end. It is what God has willed and purposes for us since from before the beginning of all things. God's proximate will is what God hopes for given all the contingencies of evil and sin and brokenness in the world. It is God's will in the face of human foible and worldly imperfection.
And here is the great, good news: God is always at work through proximate means to accomplish His ultimate and eternal will in purpose.That is to say God is always rebuilding from the shipwreck of humanity, putting the flotsam back together, restoring the vessel, and setting sail again and again towards the ultimate destination.
All manner of things are intended for evil; but God uses all things for good. Things get broken and shattered; but God is always picking up the pieces.
No comments:
Post a Comment