Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Romans 8:28-39

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things?

If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn?

Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:28-39 ESV

My grandmother didn’t like to sit still. She always found something to keep herself busy. If she was watching something on TV, she kept her hands busy with counted cross-stitch.

When I was about ten years old, she taught me to cross-stitch. In the last thirty years, I’ve made a few things of my own and have really enjoyed the process. I’ve learned two big lessons:

• Don’t judge the finished project until it’s finished. You can’t really see how it’s going to turn out until it’s all the way done.
• A great finished product takes a great amount of time to finish.

And such is life.

There will be lots of bumps along the way. There will be times of fruitfulness and times of barrenness. There will be lots of happy times, but also plenty of storms. But we can trust that God sees the finished product and He’s still working.

Which reminds me of this song that my kids sang when they were little.

A child’s life is a work in progress, but so are ours. And if you’re God’s child, then you can trust that the Lord will complete the work that He has begun in you. You can walk with confidence that He is carrying you in the palm of His hand, even when you can’t see Him working.