Promises For Those Who Love God
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
—Romans 8:28
There are specific promises for specific people. Not everyone can claim Romans 8:28. All things don’t work together for good for everybody…only a certain kind of people: those that love God. If someone hates God and denies His ways, everything is not working together for their good! In fact, it’s the grace of God that things would not work out—so they could see the futility of a life without God. If you want to see certain promises of God come to pass and work in your life—be the kind of person it was promised to.
I’m talking about the kind of person who loves God.
When I think about someone who demonstrated that well, I think of David.
He writes in Psalm 27:8—
“When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.””
God initiated an invitation to David.
But notice what David didn’t say:
“I thought about it…I think I’ll do it.”
“I researched about it…considered my options…after weighing everything out, I think this is the right option…”
Not that thinking things through is wrong, but there was something deeper at work in David’s life.
He said, “MY HEART SAID!”
Something deep within him cried out!
His heart responded!
His heart said yes!
His heart answered the call!
Everyone was created with a “God-shaped hole” in their hearts that can only be filled by God Himself. But what made David different was that he recognized it. He answered the call of God to seek Him.
I believe God has issued a call to every human being to come and get to know Him. As Judson Cornwall puts it in his book, Let Us Worship, we have to make sure that we don’t misinterpret the “craving.” Many have misinterpreted the God-placed craving in our hearts and gone after created things instead of the Creator Himself. And that has caused us sorrow and brokenness and disappointment…and a lack of fulfillment.
But David rightly interpreted the craving and the call.
His heart was inclined towards God.
It was like he said, “There’s a longing deep inside that created things can’t fulfill…I heard the call of the Lord to seek His face…and my heart, my heart felt His drawing, and felt this pull to seek Him. My heart led me to respond and seek the face of the Lord! He was the One my heart truly desired!”
When I talk about being a person who loves God, I am referring to someone whose top affections are reserved for God. A heart that is inclined towards and desires God above all else.
Not a perfect person that never makes mistakes or never sins…but someone who recognizes that Jesus is who they truly want in life.
And out of that love comes obedience, reverence, honor, holiness, righteousness, and worship.
These are the people who love to be in God’s Presence. They are worshipers. They are surrendered. They are authentic. They bring who they truly are to God…and God transforms them there.
And there are specific promises to these people who love God:
1. All things work together for their good
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
—Romans 8:28
As mentioned above, if someone hates God…this promise does not apply to them.
But think of how great this promise is for those who love God:
EVERYTHING you’ve ever gone through or are currently going through or will ever go through will WORK TOGETHER for your good.
Wow!
God can take the sting out of painful memories.
God can heal your past trauma.
God is working in your present and your future.
Everything is working together for your good.
How could my failures work out for my good?
Think of Peter and the rooster crow. It was a sign to him that he denied the Lord (Matthew 26:34). Then, after the resurrection, Jesus restored Peter (and it was all about loving Jesus, btw, see John 21:15-17), but the rooster never stopped crowing.
In fact, every day, Peter probably heard that sound. Before his restoration, it was a daily reminder of his failure. But after his restoration, I believe it shifted to a daily reminder of Jesus’ redemption!
Jesus’ mercy took the sting out of the sound!
Now Peter has a testimony to encourage others with the mercy of God.
That’s how even the toughest things can work together for good.
2. Revelation of God’s heart and mind
“But as it is written:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit…”
—1 Corinthians 2:9-10
There are things that no one else will have access to that will be given to those who love God.
God has amazing things prepared for those who love Him.
If you look at the verses following the above passage, it primarily speaks of a revelation of God’s heart.
In other words, you get to know God better! You receive by the Holy Spirit the revelation of who God is and what has been freely given to us in Christ.
Isn’t that the point of life? To know God! Jesus defined eternal life as knowing God (John 17:3).
If you want to get to know God, spend time worshipping Him—and expect revelation to flow.
3. Protection and favor
This last promise comes from the Psalms. Interesting because the Psalms were the hymnbook of Israel. It was filled with songs of praise and primarily written by the worshippers whose daily occupation was to love God!
In Psalm 91, the song of the Lord came forth, and God began to speak. This is what the Lord said:
“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”
—Psalm 91:14-16
There’s a lot in that prophetic word, but I’d summarize it in protection and favor.
But look how it starts: “Because he has set his love upon me, therefore I will…”
Read it again, and see what God says He would do in your life.
A bunch of powerful promises made to a specific type of people.
THE KEY TO LOVING GOD
Loving God doesn’t start with you loving Him…it starts with Him loving you.
“We love Him because He first loved us.”
—1 John 4:19
Selah.
He initiated.
He pursued.
He demonstrated.
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
—1 John 4:10 NIV
He loved us!
When we were enemies of God—He loved us.
When we were rebelling against God—He loved us.
When we were broken, sinning, going after all the wrong things—He loved us.
Those who’ve been forgiven much, love much. (see Luke 7:47)
And He presently loves us.
Our love for God is a response to His love for us.
So today, receive the love that God has for you as a free gift.
Open your hands, open your heart, and say, “God, I believe that You love me, and You proved it on the cross of Christ. I receive Your love right now. Pour out Your love on me.”
And then just receive.
When you become a recipient of the love of God, you can’t help but love Him back…and start to experience those life-changing promises.
Question:How have you experienced the love of God? How has that impacted the way you love God?
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