Dr. Paul S. Rees, in his book Preaching the New Testament , tells of a professor at Union Theological Seminary, Richmond, Virginia. One day, while lecturing, the professor quoted Romans 8:28.
In discussion, one of his students said, “But, professor, you don’t believe that all things work together for good — all the pain and suffering and misery — do you?”
His reply was: “The things in themselves may not be good, but you [God?] can make them work together for good.”
Before that day’s sun went down, his wife was killed in an automobile accident, and he was injured in a way that left him a cripple. When the president of the seminary called on him, he said, “Tell my students that Romans 8:28 still holds good.”
Before a year passed, the professor died and on his tombstone was inscribed Romans 8:28.
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From the sermon “Resurrection Assurance”