Nothing is lost in the economy of God

" And we know that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose"...

"We know that God is always at work for the good of everyone who loves him. They are the ones God has chosen for his purpose"

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them"

"My ways are not your ways and my thoughts are not your thoughts, as far as the heavens are from the earth, so are my ways from your ways and thoughts higher than your thoughts" Isaiah 55:8-9

"Lord, teach me to number my days, that I may apply wisdom to them" Psalm 90:12

So here's something that I have been trying to meditate on over recent months, especially in light of some challenges both personally and within my circle of friends, and that is:

Nothing is lost in the economy of God

Just think about it for a minute, God is outside of time and space. God is not just real clever, He knows ALL things. See the versus quoted above.
Jesus, while in time and space, saw the joy set before him, and followed through with the cross.

I am not a "predestination" person in the sense, we don't have a choice, effectively. If you follow that logic, then why was Jesus tempted, why did he ask the cross to be taken away, yet submitted himself to the event, why has God allowed us freedom to do all things, "thought not everything is beneficial".... Love doesn't work like that.

Though with God all things are possible.

Which brings me back to the text: Nothing is lost in the economy of God.
A person with no faith or comprehension of God as He describes himself and His character in the Bible, or a person of a "fate" / "fatalistic" predisposition to life, would be likely to say:

"everything happens for a reason..."
Hey even myself and fellow Christians have said this.

And to some extent this is laced with truth, but without the construct of God's economy, that saying leaves an air of fatalism and unaccountability to it... like we don't really have a choice, it's just a reaction to our action... or whatever...

I mean, follow that line with say " hey I left my wife and kids, and had sex with this woman and now my wife doesn't want me back, but you know everything happens for a reason...."
Yes doufus, you messed up and are paying the consequence. There's no fatalism happening there that was outside your control....

So when God says "ALL things God works for the good of those who love him", that is a mind bend, when you're tithing, working diligently, looking after the poor, living out His principles, and the deals your trying to close at work aren't happening, or you're marriage breaks down because she's been sleeping around, or your business partner screws you over and leaves you with the debts and no assets or goodwill to on-sell, or your investments you have go belly up due to the GFC (and Greece and Italy not paying taxes and corrupt governments..) or you're trying to have a child at 42 and she's not falling pregnant.....

Okay, let's bring it a little closer to everyday scenarios: your customer accuses you of poor service, your church leader chastises you or someone falsely gossips about you, or your wife doesn't want to work at the marriage, or you can't move beyond the hurt you experienced from being sexually assaulted or having your father die at 2.
you write the next issue... there's an infinite source of scenarios... bit like God really...

and we know in ALL things God works for the good of those who love him

So what I meditate on, when bad stuff happens or doesn't go my way, I try to say "Thanks God that this happened because nothing is lost in your economy, and somehow this will be used for good".

These are not flippant words or "nice" sayings, but God's very own words, backed up by his Son.

There is so much more we could go into with this, but we're out of time. My departing thought is to mix God's economy with his statement of "your Kingdom come your will be done on earth as in heaven".... and see what personal revelation that impresses on you.