Question to think about: Do you get it. . . that there is always something more to experience through the presence and power of God when something happens?
My job affords me opportunities to engage with people who go through difficult and even horrific circumstances. Webster defines a circumstance as "something that happens or takes place." There are times that it seems that nothing good could possibly come out of some things that happen or take place. Most of Americans would describe the events of September 11, 2001 in that category.
The horrific events that occurred seven years ago were so memorable for most US citizens that most can tell you where they were and what they were doing the moment they heard the news. When something happens, especially difficulties, our perspective changes; how our perspective changes shapes the course of our life.
The book of Genesis records the story of a man called Joseph. Some things happened in his life that changed the course of his life . . . his brothers threw him into a pit to die, slave traders sold him as a slave, his slave master's wife wrongly accused him of trying to seduce her, and he ended up in prison. He did not deserve to go through the circumstances, but it happened.
The thing is, Joseph got it. He understood that God had not changed; his circumstances had changed. Joseph trusted God and ended up serving with the most powerful ruler in the world, the Egyptian Pharaoh. Circumstances changed, his brothers went to Egypt to find food during a famine, not knowing Joseph was not only alive but one of the most powerful men in the world. When they discovered the truth they were afraid, but Joseph got it and said: "Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today."
Years later, it would happen that Jesus would go a different direction on the way to Galilee to meet a woman that needed to be freed from her life circumstances. Something happened . . . a vulnerable Samaritan woman, considered to be worth nothing, met a Jewish man . . . no one would have thought anything if she had been harmed . . . but instead she would be healed and a community would be changed. It started with a question: A woman, a Samaritan, came to draw water. Jesus said, "Would you give me a drink of water?" (His disciples had gone to the village to buy food for lunch.) (John 4: 7-8).
Meet with Jesus.
Be ready for something to happen.
See the faithfulness of God.
Trust that God intends to do good, even when circumstances seem impossible.
Learning with you to know God is faithful when something happens,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
