A RUINED LIFE IN THE HAND OF THE MASTER

Have you ever felt like your life is out of control? Everything that you have planned seems to be subject to change at a moments notice. When the Christian walks with God and the change occurs, we realize that He gives us the strength to encounter the change, but we must be expectant of the power of God.
There was an artist who was visiting a dear friend. When he arrived, she was weeping. He asked why. She showed him a handkerchief of exquisite beauty that had great sentimental value that had been ruined by a drop of indelible ink.
The artist asked her to let him borrow the handkerchief that he returned to her by mail several days later. When she opened the package she could hardly believe her eyes. The artist using the ink blot as a base had drawn on the handkerchief a design of great beauty with India ink. Now it was more beautiful and more valuable than ever.
You see, sometimes the tragedies that break our hearts can become the basis for a more beautiful design in our lives. Be patient with the hurts over which you have no control. They may become a source of healing, help and beauty.
Remember the words of Paul to the church in Rome: “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.” And just a few sentences later he said: “If God is for us, who can be against us.”

Mid-Week Prayer

Let us pray: Father, many times in our lives we have faced challenges which seemed difficult or unfair. We may feel that because we love and follow You, we should be passed through the testing without any pain because we know Your Son. The truth is that we find the testing is even more difficult because of His love.
O God, You do not always let us take the easy path, but you always call us to the path that will give us the power to face even more challenges in life. Christ understood how it felt to be alone and forgotten. Even today at times we still do the same thing to him when He calls us to be His children. Forgive us and lead us onward in the path that You would have us to go in the blessed name of the Suffering One, Jesus Christ. Amen.

This has been Rev. Jim Massey. Join me next week as we journey through God's Word together.