The Story of Our Lives

I love reading the stories in the Bible, don’t you? I’ve noticed that every story has happy and not-so-happy moments.

Through it all, God was using each person to accomplish His will and to provide examples for you and me. 
For instance, we can learn much from the story of Joseph. (Chapters 37-50 of Genesis tell of his life from age 17 to his death at the age of 110.)

He came from what we would call today a dysfunctional family. His own brothers hated him so much they wanted to kill him. Instead, they sold him to slave traders who transported him to another country (Egypt), perhaps hundreds of miles away from all that was familiar to young Joseph. There, Joseph excelled and received recognitions and promotions. However, he was also falsely accused, which led to imprisonment and continued betrayals.

Was God with Joseph during all these highs and lows? Was He using Joseph all the while? Absolutely!

Looking back on his experiences, Joseph said, “God intended it [the evil done to me] for good.” 
Indeed, God did bring great good out of all of Joseph’s experiences, even the not-so-happy ones.

Likewise, every experience you and I have is an opportunity for God to use us. He may use us publicly or privately, in big ways or little ways, in expected ways or unexpected ways... The choice is up to Him.

Are we willing, even excited, for Him to use us as He pleases and in any place He chooses? To write the story of our life however He chooses? I pray that we are.

Pondering and Praising

As I read Psalm 143, I realized, once again, that I have something in common with David, who wrote that psalm. Like David, I love telling (and hearing!) personal experience stories. 

But, unlike David, I often fail to give God praise for His presence felt and His power shown in each of them, whether I’m telling about experiences of great pleasure or grievous pain.

However, I want to learn to conclude my real-life stories with sentences like these, each based on God’s Word:

• All I needed, God provided. (Philippians 4:19)
• But God caused everything to work out for His glory and my good. (Romans 8:28)
• Although I didn’t know which way to turn, God showed me the way. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
• I messed up big time, but God forgave me. (1 John 1:9)

Like David, I want to say to God:

I remember the days of old;

I meditate on all that You have done;

I ponder the work of Your hands.

Psalm 143:5

Only then will my real-life stories have true substance. Only then will they encourage and strengthen me, as well as those to whom I tell them.

While standing on the lawn of the Prince of Wales Hotel and looking down at Waterton (in Alberta, Canada), I marveled at all God had created. And I thanked Him for letting me see such beauty and for giving me a heart/mind that likes to ponder and praise the work of His hands in nature, as well as in the life He has given me.