Faith in His perfect plan
One of our readings during this weekend’s worship services is an excerpt from Acts 6 and 7 about Stephen, the first Christian martyr after Pentecost. I invite you to spend a few minutes reading the whole account in Acts 6 and 7, asking the question while reading, “Why did God allow this to happen?” After all, Stephen was a dedicated follower of Jesus who was a very effective witness to the faith. Why would God allow him to be killed by his enemies?
There are some things that will never be answered for us regarding God’s reasoning for allowing certain things to happen, but what He sometimes does for us in the Holy Scriptures is give us examples of how He truly does work through things for the good of those who love Him. For instance, in Mark 5:21-43 we have the account of Jesus healing a woman who was bleeding for twelve years, as well as bringing the 12-year-old daughter of Jairus back to life. At just the right time, everything comes together. The woman who had been bleeding for years is healed by Jesus just when Jairus needed to see an example of Jesus’ power in the face of the news that his daughter had just died. Jairus trusts in Jesus who told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” His faith was not disappointed.
In the case of Stephen, we are told that there was a man named Saul who was there, approving of the stoning. And what did he hear from Stephen as he was being stoned to death? “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” I am sure those words ate at Saul. But later they would have new significance as Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus and, through the outpouring of the Spirit, brought Saul to newness of life as a forgiven, redeemed child of God who would now, as the Apostle Paul, be used in powerful ways he would have never imagined.
God never wastes the lives of those who love Him, but uses them in wonderous ways, always working for the growth of His Kingdom. We may not always see how everything ties together, but we trust in a God whose ways are beyond ours and whose love is never changing – a love we will celebrate perfectly in the Father’s House. And so, each day, we put ourselves into our Lord’s care, asking that His will be done in our lives as He “works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)