THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS WHAT THEY SEEM

THINGS AREN’T ALWAYS WHAT THEY SEEM

I truly love this story because it such a clear reflection of Romans 8:28, which declares, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”  Sometimes, our greatest apparent catastrophes are intervening miracles.  It’s one of the most practical reasons I know for eliminating worry from our daily lives.  God’s got us, appearances notwithstanding.  Whenever I arrive at what ‘feels’ like a low point, I ask myself the most important question: ‘Has GOD ever failed?’  After careful reflection, the answer is always a resounding “NO!”  And I am immediately transported to a place of praise and power.  It works!

As our story goes, two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family.  That family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion’s guest room.  Instead, the angels were provided a very modest space in a cold basement.  As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it forthwith.  When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, “Things aren’t always what they seem.”

The next night the angelic duo came to rest at the house of a farmer and his wife, who were very poor, but welcoming, warm and hospitable.  After sharing what little food they had, the couple insisted that the angels sleep in their bed so they could have a good night’s rest.  When the sun rose the next morning, the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears.  Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the pasture.

The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel “How could you have let this happen!?  The other man had everything, yet you helped him,” the angel apprentice accused.  “This family had so little, but was willing to share everything, and you let their cow die.”

“Things aren’t always what they seem,” the older angel insisted.  “When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall.  Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his blessings, I sealed the wall so he wouldn’t find it.  Last night, as we slept in the farmer’s bed, the angel of death came for his wife.  I gave him the cow instead.  You see, things aren’t always what they seem!”

Sometimes this is exactly the situation when things don’t appear to turn out the way we think they should.  If we have faith, we just need to trust that every outcome is always to our advantage.  We might not know it until some time later because “Things aren’t always what they seem.”

– Author Unknown

Your word for today is simply this: don’t worry.  God, who cannot lie, declares ‘I will supply all your need…according to My riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Philippians 4:19)  Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and (above all) make sure that you are ready to meet our soon coming King.  Maranatha!