And they were beyond measure astonished, saying, “He hath done all things well; he maketh even the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak” (Mark 7:37).

Jesus has entered the Decapolis and healed a deaf man with a speech impediment (Mark 7:31-36). The Decapolis was a more Gentile region known for Greek culture, and its residents can clearly see the power that is present in Jesus. They declare, quite rightly, that He, Jesus, has done all things well.

The depth of the truth and reality of that statement, however, was not known to them. Jesus is the Word made flesh, the exact image and representation of God on earth (John 1:1-18, 14:9-10). As the Word He is responsible for the whole creation (John 1:3, Colossians 1:15-17), the very thing declared “very good” at its inception (Genesis 1:31). As God, Jesus is all but expected to do things well!

While the Gentiles of Decapolis perceive that Jesus does all things well, the Jews of Galilee and Judea fail to understand that (cf. John 1:11). He has done many more miracles in their midst, and yet so many refuse to believe! They seem convinced that God will act in an entirely different way. What Jesus has done and is doing does not match their desires and expectations. Thus they reject the One who is doing all things well.

It is easy to rail on the Jews about how they did not perceive the Messiah in Jesus, but it is easy to understand why they believed as they did. From their perspective, it was hard to see how God was doing “all things well.” They were God’s chosen people. Their forefathers, despite their idolatrous ways, lived in a free and independent state. They are not committing idolatry anymore, and yet now they suffer under the imperious hand of Rome. As indicated in Psalm 44:1-26, many Jews wanted to know why. It did not seem to make any sense. And then here is Jesus, and He’s not helping the cause they want helped.

Yet God is doing all things well in Jesus of Nazareth. He is doing the Father’s work and accomplishes God’s eternal plan for salvation (cf. Ephesians 3:10-11). Through Him God is setting up the Kingdom that transcends all other kingdoms, even Rome (cf. Daniel 2:36-44). God holds out the promise of eternity in His presence with all good things (cf. Revelation 21:1-22:6).

We have been told in Romans 8:28 that, “we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose.” If we are truly God’s people, even in our lives, God is doing all things well.

It is easy for us to protest this idea, just as the Jews did in terms of Jesus. It can be very, very hard at times to see how the things going on in our lives and in the world around us could be considered “well.” There is suffering, pain, evil, crisis, and distress. In and of themselves, such things are not good. They are here because sin and death are here (Romans 5:12-18). But this does not mean that God is not doing all things well. We reflect Jesus through our suffering since He suffered (1 Peter 2:18-25). The time will come when we will perceive how God has done all things well even when we did not understand it. It will be a time of blessing and praise.

God is Almighty, and He does all things well. It is for us to trust in Him even when we cannot see it. Let us be willing to trust even in the most difficult times, having confidence that in good times and bad, God is doing well!

lesson by Ethan R. Longhenry