ALL THINGS
Kendra Intihar
Today’s Scripture: “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-23, ESV
Theme: God’s character is good; He is merciful and all-powerful. We don’t need to control everything because we can trust Him.
“LUCKY”
If you have any preschool or school-age children in your orbit, then you’ve certainly heard of Bluey, the preschool cartoon phenomenon. My family just watched the most recent episode – mild spoilers ahead…
In the latest episode, there is a cascade of events, each precipitated by the one before it like dominoes of fate. Bluey comes across a coin, which everyone thinks is “lucky.” She later sees some coin-operated observation deck binoculars which no one thinks they can use because “who keeps coins anymore,” (unlucky) when she remembers! She has a coin! (lucky) Unfortunately, the coin gets stuck in the slot so that the binoculars can’t be used (unlucky), but a little while later, an important figure in the story finds the coin in the slot and gets the binoculars to work. Once they look through the binoculars, the major resolution of the story occurs (warning: have tissues handy). As far as we know, Bluey never learns that the lucky/unlucky coin is the ultimate catalyst for the resolution of the story. We, the audience, are even kept in suspense as to the meaning of it all until the very end, when all the pieces are finally revealed to us.
The paths of our life are like that. We are often in suspense about the meaning of large and small moments we experience. In the space between wondering and knowing, we can trust this: In ALL things, God works for the good of those who love Him (see Romans 8:28). All things. God is love (1 John 4:16) and God so loved this world that He sent Jesus to reveal His character to us, His creation. When we want to know what God looks like, we need only look at Jesus who is the “exact representation of His being” (see Hebrews 1:3). Whether we come to understand “the plan” quickly - in the span of a Bluey episode - or slowly, over the course of a lifetime, we can trust God’s character in the liminal space.
THE CHAOTIC UNDERSIDE
I once saw a tapestry being removed from a gallery wall for restoration. You’ve probably seen many tapestries, and you may have even remarked about how beautifully detailed and intricate they were. Me too. Which is why when that beautiful tapestry was coming down from that gallery wall, I was astounded to see the seemingly meaningless, messy, chaotic backside of it. It was shockingly ugly. Threads everywhere, blobs of color that made no discernable shape, untrimmed ends…it looked like a disaster. But do you know who wasn’t worried about the messy threads of that tapestry? The person who created it. They knew where every red and blue and gold strand would end up. They knew where every loop and knot would find their places. They not only had the vision for the beautiful, finished tapestry; they were creating their masterpiece using those ugly threads from the chaotic underside.
GOD INTENDED IT FOR GOOD
Do you remember Joseph from the Old Testament? Joseph’s life was the quintessential “chaotic underside.” He was his father, Jacob’s, favored son. He was the one who got the fancy coat, whose brothers sold him into slavery, and who was imprisoned. From prison, he interpreted dreams for his fellow prisoners and was eventually called on to interpret dreams for Pharoah. His prophetic advice led to abundance in Egypt during a famine, and he was made governor because of his service to Pharoah. Eventually, his brothers, who had once betrayed him, discovered that not only was he still living, but he was, second only to Pharoah, the most powerful and respected man in all of Egypt. We don’t have to imagine how afraid they were that he would seek revenge for their betrayal – the Bible tells us that they begged for Joseph’s mercy. He reassured them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:19-20, NIV). God had revealed the tapestry to Joseph.
Make it Personal: Our lives are a tapestry, and God is the artist, weaving together our story in a way that doesn’t always make sense to us unless or until He reveals it to us in the timing He chooses. What, in your life, feels “out of control” right now? Envision those out-of-control things as an invitation to surrender control to God, resting in the assurance that in ALL things – even this – God is working for your good.
Pray: God, I admit that I want to control all the outcomes in my life. Help me to remember that though I make plans, You are the one who establishes my steps. Today, I surrender all my messy threads to You, I trust You to weave them together into something beautiful, and I trust that You will reveal the beauty to me in Your time. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Read: Matthew 6:25-34; John 16:33; Proverbs 16:9
Weekly Memory Verse: “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.” Proverbs 21:31, ESV