Meditation today: God's permissive will

God's Permissive Will: When the people in the synagogue heard it, they were all filled with anger. They got up, chased him out of the city and led him to the top of the hill on which their city was built, to hurl him headlong. But he passed among them and went away. Luke 4: 28-30

One of the first places Jesus went to begin his public ministry was his hometown. After entering the synagogue and reading from the prophet Isaiah, Jesus proclaimed that Isaiah's prophecy had now been fulfilled in His own person. This caused His citizens to be indignant at Him, thinking He was cursing. So they shockingly tried to kill Jesus immediately by taking him out of their hilltop town from which they intended to throw him. But then something fascinating happened. Jesus "passed among them and went away."

God and his will

The Father eventually allowed the grave evil of His Son's death to occur, but only in His time. It is not clear from this passage how Jesus was able to avoid being killed at that very moment at the beginning of his ministry, but what is important to know is that he was able to avoid it because it was not his time. The Father had other things to do for Jesus before He allowed Him to offer His life freely for the salvation of the world.

This same reality is true for our lives. God allows evil to happen at times due to the irrevocable gift of free will. When people choose evil, God will allow them to proceed, but always with a warning. The caveat is that God allows evil to be inflicted on others only when that evil can ultimately be used for God's glory and some form of good. And it is only allowed in God's time. If we do evil ourselves, choosing sin rather than God's will, then the evil we do will end with our loss of grace. But when we are faithful to God and an external evil is imposed on us by another, God allows it only when that evil can be redeemed and used for His glory.

The best example of this is, of course, the passion and death of Jesus. From that event came a much greater good than evil itself. But it was only permitted by God when the time was right, in accordance with God's will.

Think about suffering today

God's Permissive Will: Reflect, today, on the glorious fact that any evil or suffering unjustly inflicted upon you can end in God's glory and the greatest salvation of souls. Whatever you may suffer in life, if God permits it, then it is always possible that that suffering participates in the redemptive power of the Cross. Consider every suffering you have endured and embrace it freely, knowing that if God has allowed it, then he surely has a greater purpose in mind. Leave that suffering with the utmost confidence and trust and allow God to do glorious things through it.

Prayer: God of all wisdom, I know that you know all things and that all things can be used for Your glory and for the salvation of my soul. Help me trust You, especially when I endure suffering in life. May I never despair if treated unfairly and may my hope always be in You and in Your power to redeem all things. Jesus I believe in you.