Romans 8:28-30 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

The bible describes Paul as the Hebrew of Hebrews. He knew his history, his culture, his people deeply. In their language, to know is also to love. So whenever I read him saying “know”, I think it wise to believe that the Hebrew of Hebrews had this in his heart.

There is so much we know, but is it really in our hearts, do we really love it? I remember certain math formulas in HighSchool that I didn’t think about much longer after the bell rung. Though I can still recite them by name, indicating that I know it, In Paul’s language, I would never say I knew them. Paul says here, that “We know” that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. How do we know? We can look at the history of God’s People.

To keep this from being a long drawn outlist, I’ll keep use 2 examples. Number 1, Joseph. Filled with dreams of his future leadership, dreams no doubt given by God, the boy was betrayed by his brothers, thrown into a cistern, made a slave and falsly accused of attempted rape. Yet, in this whole sick situation, he never curses God. God was with him every step, and used even the evil done to him to fulfill the dreams given him.

And of course, there’s Jesus; Jesus “Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.”
Philippians 2:6-11

We need to know these bible stories and love them- they’re are stories. And who are we but those who Love God. We are those that Love God and are called according to his purpose. To say he foreknew us is to say he knew us before we knew him, even before we were born and he loved us. He said, I know how ugly you are, but I’m going to make you beautiful. You’re at Rock Bottom, but I’m going to take you for a ride to this place called Jesus. He loved us so much, us who were mere sinners, that he would set our life’s course to end at the image of his son. Amen

As I prepared this, I realized that this scripture is way too much for one devotional. I will merely end here, saying, pray for a heart that lets you walk this path to the image of the Lord. Let’s be the many brothers and sisters of the Lord. Amen.