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All Things

            He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

 

            Have you ever noticed the phrase “along with him” in this verse?  Yes, it’s always been there. Perhaps in different translations and interpretations, it’s not said in those exact words, but the point is that God gives us His Son, with one or more sides of “all things.” Too often, we subscribe to the “dessert first” philosophy and then decide we’re no longer hungry when it comes time for the main dish. We resent the notion that we must eat our vegetables or develop virtues. With a nod to C. S. Lewis, we want Turkish Delight – lots of it – and we want it now.

            Another idea to consider. Suppose you were to invite people to dinner and put together a sumptuous meal cooked to perfection. Would you seat some people at one table and give them access to everything you’ve made while seating others at a different table and providing them with a simpler fair? In this case, we’re not talking about people with food allergies, safety issues, or even the preferences of the diners. It’s all about your choices.  Would you? Neither does God.

            Suppose one of the diners pushed your offerings aside and said she wanted to be served several things you didn’t make. Would you be a bad host if you didn’t make them for that person? Let’s take it to a ridiculous extreme and make one demanded dish a roasted human heart. Would you be a bad host for refusing to make something that is illegal and or morally repugnant for you to make? And if you declined to make this dish, would you no longer be considered as giving your guests “all things”?

            The question is whether “all things” means that God must give us anything and everything we want or whether "all things" means that God will give us good things from what He has made that are good for us. If that doesn’t include everything we think we want, that doesn’t make Him ungracious. It makes us ungrateful.

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