For Whom He Foreknew

Romans 8:28-30
"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom he foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified."

This is to me, is one of the most encouraging scriptures in the whole Bible. It reminds me of Jeremiah 1:5 which says, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you..." . My parents didn't plan to have me but even so, God knew me before I was formed in my mother's womb. I was planned by God and predestined to love and serve God and to be conformed to the image of His Son. God had and still has a plan for me. Part of the execution of God's plan for me is the "all things" in verse 28. "All things" includes the good, the bad and the ugly yet it takes all of this to conform me into the image of His Son. Scripture even says regarding Jesus, that He learned obedience by the things He suffered. An incredibly encouraging scripture is in verses 35, 37 which says, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

When we remember this we can more easily be obedient to God's Word which says, "giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Eph. 5:20) and "in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Th. 5:18).