Module 6 Devotionals

Before we were born, God knew He was going to forgive us of our sins. This truth is found in Psalm 139:15-16: My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Visualize your life as part of this huge incredible tapestry that is all woven together in heaven. Human eyes can only glimpse a portion of God’s view. It’s the messy backside of the picture, with its intermittent and jumbled threads, that we see. Human hearts can’t make sense of it. We focus on black representing pain and failure. We can’t see how God could take the dark colors of our sins and turn them into an incredible masterpiece.

I want you to read the following passage in Romans 8:28-30 out loud and realize that you are the one God is talking about – 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.

God never wastes our pain. He will make good use of every experience in our life in the future. God will make sense of our trauma too.

What is God’s purpose when you have worked through this anguish? It is highlighted in the words Jesus said to Peter before leaving for heaven, found in John 21:15-17:

Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to Him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

Peter was grieved because Jesus asked him three times if he loved Him. Each response was the same – if you love me then feed and tend my sheep. Peter denied Jesus three times after He was arrested. Sometimes we have to hear from God three times to ensure that we are really hearing Him correctly.

As I’ve grown in my walk with God, I’ve learned to recognize His voice. The sheep of Jesus are all around us. They need to see Jesus in our heart. They can see Jesus in your pain. They can understand the grace of God in your testimony. In healing you, God can touch them.

When we get to heaven, we will see what all the jumbled threads of our life look like on the other side – a crown of glory. Each jewel in that crown will be based on the work done in our lives on Earth.

Paul spoke about this when he was approaching death in2 Timothy 4:6-8For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

How will your crown look when you get to heaven? The most blessed part of having a crown in heaven will be in laying at the feet of Jesus!