...But God

Genesis 50:20b -- "But God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."

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The feeble mass of intertwining electric circuitry fired on all cylinders and my brain quickly registered the sting of what had just occurred - but my eyes just blinked - and blinked. I stared at my immediate supervisor sitting across from me with a smug look on her face.

Fired? But - I'd just moved into my own apartment with my 1 year old, ready to tackle single parenthood with a brave face. AND ... my parents had just moved out of state. I was only a few short days on the other side of an emergency surgery during which was removed a nasty little tumor with teeth and claws AND I'd just signed on a loan to purchase a couch.

Fired?!

With trembling hands I punched my time card for the last time at the quaint little community hospital and trudged out the door.

What in the world was I supposed to do, now?

I grabbed a newspaper at the corner grocery store on the way back home and immediately searched the job listings. [This was in the ancient days of no internet].

God is very good. He is now - and He was then. In no time flat I had a new job at a wonderful little facility close to down-town Nashville. It payed better and had a cozy work environment and I NEVER had to punch a time card. It was closer to my toddler's Granny so she was able to keep him while I was work, eliminating the need for costly day care - a WONDERFUL icing on the cake, so to speak. AND - get this - it had a full benefits package!

The thing is - when we are at the bottom of an old, dank well straining to look up in the hope of some form of daylight - we don't always recognize when a splendid opportunity is gifted to us - complete with wonderful packaging and a pretty bow. Instead - we see a box with contents that remain hidden. Something horrible might be inside and we hesitate to open it, nervous about the unknown.

But God can take our shed tears and bring about the most spectacular joy. Notice I didn't say He would take our tears away. We will undoubtedly face some pretty painful days in our life time. And some of those days may be a bit longer than we'd really like, but God's timing is always perfect. He's never late and never too early and ALWAYS, always on our side.

The next bump [or mountain] you face in the road may be a blessing in disguise. Cling to the promises of God. Look at Joseph! He was betrayed by his own brothers and left for dead. It had to be pretty dark in the bottom of that well.  ... who knew that one day the entire nation would look to him for survival and mercy?

Who knew? ... God did! And as He did in the life of Joseph - God can take our big 'ole bag of hot mess and turn it into something beautiful. No only CAN He - but He WILL!