Romans 8:28 is one of the most quoted and reassuring verses in the whole Bible: ‘we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.’ (Rom 8:28) We are reminded by Paul that even when things don’t work out the way we want them to, God is still able to work for our good.
A shipwreck on Malta probably wasn’t on Paul’s wish list of things he wanted to happen to him, but the experience was certainly beneficial to the islanders of Malta, and anyone who visits nowadays can still see the influence of Paul on that island. Being under house arrest in Rome probably wasn’t on Paul’s wish list either, but the fact remains that the book of Acts closes with the news that ‘for two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!’ (Acts 28:30-31) Whatever happened to him was turned to good. Much of our New Testament was written by Paul from this place of imprisonment, so there definitely was good to be seen from a personally injurious situation.
We see that the forces of nature (water, wind and snake) and the machinations of men (schemes, plots and threats) were all arrayed against Paul, but even though demonic forces lay behind these, they were not enough to thwart God’s plans. Scripture is full of examples of the devil seeking to thwart God’s saving purpose through His people and His Christ:
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Pharaoh trying to drown the baby Moses
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Haman trying to annihilate the Jews
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Herod the Great trying to destroy the infant Jesus in Bethlehem
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the Sanhedrin trying to stifle the apostolic witness and smother the church at its birth.
God is well able to obstruct the devil’s purposes. By God’s providence Paul reached Rome safe and sound, and we see fleshed out for us the truth of Romans 8:28, God working for good in the life of this great apostle. God ‘works out everything in conformity with his will’ (Eph 1:11); ‘no wisdom, no insight, no plan’ can succeed against the Lord. (Prov 21:30)
