Framing Your Life, Romans 8:28-31
Introduction
A few years ago I purchased an old house in Tarpon Springs, Florida. It was a real “fixer-upper.” It was built in the early 1920’s just a few blocks from the Anclote River which spills into the Gulf of Mexico less than a mile from there.
As a result of being so near the ocean, the house is quit literally built on sand. In fact in the back yard I often sifted through the sand – where the grass seeds I planted would never grow – in search of sea shells.
One afternoon near the time when we had first moved into house I was hanging several picture frames. As I quickly discovered, the wall on that portion of the house was still the original lath and plaster.
In case you are not familiar with this old style of building material, allow me to enlighten you… when it is first built lath are small boards about the thickness of a ruler strung all the way across the frame of a room.
Then plaster – very much like the plaster used to create a handprint of a child in kindergarten, for example – is applied to the boards. What you end up with is a very nice, smooth wall.
But if you wait a hundred years or so, you end up with a very brittle and often cracked wall that will crumble if you stare at it too hard!
So, this particular afternoon I was hanging picture frames in our new house when I began to have some trouble. I got to a point where I was hanging this little shelf thing to place pictures on.
It was one of these very trendy things which probably came from Bed Bath & Beyond or the Home Store or something. I first tried using a nail but every time I hammered one in all of the plaster around it would just crumble!
I tried several nails buy the same thing happened with every one! So then I tried a screw. I figured that a good long drywall screw would do the trick. So I got out my electric drill which I had just purchased because as a new home owner of course you need a good set of power tools!
I drove the screw into the wall and figured; “Now that’ll do it!”
Then I went to wiggle the screw just a little bit to make sure that it was sunk in there good and tight… but when I wiggled it, it fell off in my hand! Before the screw I had a huge area of my wall which was covered in little holes and now I had one colossal hole in the wall which was shaped just like the number 8!
The next thing I did was to go out to my shed and find the biggest most oversized nail I could find! I hammered that thing in the wall just over the 8-shaped hole until it was nearly coming out the other side of the wall, I found the biggest picture we owned, stuck it up on the wall and walked away!
Transition
Frames: we are always framing things that are important to us aren’t we. We can spend so much time looking for just the right frame to house an important picture. We frame diplomas; we frame baby pictures, awards, and mementos.
It occurs to me, though, that whether we do it intentionally or it just sort of develops, that we place our entire lives with the context of some kind of frame.
A frame gives shape to something. It defines the borders of a picture or an object. It decorates a thing. But most of all, it gives perspective to something.
Scripture
In Romans 8:28-31 the Apostle Paul writes, “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?” (ESV)
Exposition
Today, I want to talk to you about framing your life because whether you know it or not, your life is encompassed by some kind of frame. Your thoughts, your actions, your motives, your intentions, and oh yes, even your faith all reside within the context of some kind of frame.
In this passage of Scripture the Apostle Paul tells us that all things work together for good to them who are called according to God’s divine purpose. Inherent in this passage is the idea that God, in fact, has a divine purpose for your life.
Your life is not the product of random forces acting upon random events to create random circumstances. Your life is the result of a very intentional God who is working out a divine plan in and through your life.
Too often, though, we don’t allow ourselves to see God’s purpose in our lives because we have not framed our understanding of ourselves in that truth.
How have you framed your life? What perspective do you view your life from? Have you framed your life in the understanding that God is the author of the story of your life? Or have you framed your life in the false idea that you are somehow floating through this life by chance and with no purpose?
In this same passage, the Apostle Paul goes on to tell us that God has predestined us to be conformed into the image of Jesus Christ. There is perhaps not a passage of Scripture in the entire Bible which stirs more controversy as to its interpretation as does Romans 8:28 and 29.
The question is raised, “if God predestined us then are we slaves to destiny, having no free will of our own?” Others say that it is a matter of foreknowledge. Just because God knows what will occur tomorrow does not negate the fact that I still have choices to make which affect tomorrow’s outcome.
If you know nothing of these theological controversies; God bless you! You are probably wiser than I to avoid them.
It seems clear, to me at least though, that the point of this passage has little to do with such an argument over predestination and foreknowledge, the point is that our lives have purpose!
When we learn to frame our lives within the reality that God has uniquely designed each and every one of us for a distinct divine purpose then – and only then – will we be free to view ourselves as God does; as a people of unsurpassable worth and purpose.
During this season of Thanksgiving many of us don’t always feel like people of unsurpassable worth, do we? For some of us the holiday season is a sad time when we reflect on friends or family who have gone on to be with the Lord.
Or we find ourselves in a very different place in our live than we expected to be. Perhaps you find yourself in between jobs or are in need of a home.
Whatever your circumstance and wherever you are in your life right now – God has a purpose in your life. Your life has value and meaning. You are a child of the King; you are a person of unsurpassable worth and value. Your life has purpose.
I recently read the story of a man who was walking with his 2-year-old along a busy street when suddenly she broke loose of his grasp and ran ahead of him. He rounded the corner after her, only to see her feet leave the curb and venture into the street.
No sooner had his little one taken a quick stride when – plop – she stumbled and fell. Later, with his daughter’s bruises washed and kissed, he couldn’t help wondering, What if she hadn’t fallen? A car might have hit her.
What we don’t see while we’re feeling pain is often God’s hidden purpose. Sometimes, the very unpleasant incident we see as hurtful is, in fact, God’s way of protecting us from worse harm.
Even as we face the storms of this life, God’s divine purposes in our lives are unfolding. He is at work making us more like Christ. He is at work unfolding His plan for us and His plan for others through us.
But we must learn to frame our lives within that context. We must learn to listen for God’s voice in the midst of storm. If we don’t plug in to God’s plan for our lives we will continue to be like a ship with not rudder; like a leaf tossed about on the waves of the Sea; aimless and drifting.
No matter where you are in your life today, be encouraged; God is in the restoration business. He is already at work redeeming your yesterdays and building your tomorrow. You are not alone, you are in His hands.
You are not alone in this life. Look around you. These are the hands of God reaching out to you. These are the arms of God embracing you. A faithful friend is an image of God.
Learn to frame your life within the context of God’s purpose in and through your life. Learn to be thankful. God desires to bless someone through you.
Learn to be sharers, not merely receivers of the compassion of Christ. You will know that your life has meaning and value to the extent that you allow yourself to participate with God’s plan for your life.
Every step of compassion is a step closer to the Cross. Every step closer to another person is a step closer to the center of the very heart of God.
And when you make your dwelling place the heart of God… your life takes on new meaning, your heart is filled with Thanksgiving bursting from deep inside of you!
Conclusion
Decide to reframe your life today. Where you once saw sorrow, learn to see God shaping your for a better tomorrow. Where you once saw only potential for problems, learn to see challenges waiting to be met.
There are those who only see the potential for rain when darks clouds approach. But then there are others who see more than merely the impending rain… they see the opportunity for rainbows.
Which one are you? What kind of frame, what kind of perspective, have you chosen to see your life through?
Do not wait for extraordinary circumstances to do good or to experience a life of meaning! Today, choose to see your life through the frame of God’s divine purpose in your life.
Psalms 92:1-5 says, “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night… For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. How great are your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep!” (ESV)
