What God Ordains Is Always Good

I heard a Christian radio talk-show talking about the COVID-19 Virus and how we could (SHOULD) use this time we are going through to share the gospel with others. We posted our first video sermon (Why? Where? What? Watch or listen here:  https://www.bereanbaptistchurch.com/sermons/sermon/2020-03-22/why-where-what) this week on our website – Bereanbaptistchurch.com due to the aforementioned virus. We have several elderly folks and some who have health issues who may be at risk if they came to church.  I should mention most of those folks would come if the doors were open, regardless of the risk, so we made the difficult decision to close our doors for the 14-days. I’ve read encouraging comments on Facebook from members of Berean who have shared the online video of Pastor Cuenin bringing God’s Word to the forefront of this discussion.

This brings to mind Jesus while preaching the sermon on the mount taught in Matthew 6:25-34:

   25      For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

  26       “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

  27       “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?

  28       “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,

  29       yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.

  30       “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!

  31       “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’

  32       “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

  33       “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

  34       “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.^[1]

The following Hymn written in 1675 by Samuel Rodigast, tells us God knows what is best and also chooses the trials we go through. We don’t always know why we are going through the trial, but usually when we are on the other side of the trial it is then we can look back and see the blessing and even understand why God allowed us to experience the trial.

1 What God ordains is always good: His will is just and holy. As He directs my life for me, I follow meek and lowly. My God indeed in ev'ry need knows well how He will shield me; to Him, then, I will yield me.

2 What God ordains is always good: He never will deceive me; He leads me in His righteous way, and never will He leave me. I take content what He has sent; His hand that sends me sadness will turn my tears to gladness.

3 What God ordains is always good: His loving thought attends me; no poison can be in the cup that my Physician sends me. My God is true; each morning new I trust His grace unending, My life to Him commending.

4 What God ordains is always good: He is my Friend and Father; He suffers naught to do me harm though many storms may gather. Now I may know both joy and woe; some day I shall see clearly that He has loved me dearly.

5 What God ordains is always good: though I the cup am drinking which savors now of bitterness, I take it without shrinking. For after grief God gives relief, my heart with comfort filling and all my sorrow stilling.

6 What God ordains is always good: this truth remains unshaken. Though sorrow, need, or death be mine, I shall not be forsaken. I fear no harm, for with His arm He shall embrace and shield me; so to my God I yield me.

Source: Hymns to the Living God #324

Hymnary.org

Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 16; Psalm 18:1-3; Psalm 23:1-4; Psalm 27;

Psalm 30; Psalm 92:15; Isaiah 60:12-20 Lamentations 3:19-26;

Matthew 7:7-14; Luke 11:9-13; John 10:27-30; John 14:18-19; 23-27

Romans 8:28; Romans 12:1-2; Hebrews 13:5-6

^[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Mt 6:25–34). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.