Bloopers to Blessings

 Foul Play

  It was a normal day, at that point,___ and I was leisurely pushing a grocery cart around a popular supermarket. I had begun my day with a nice devotional time with the Lord and all was well.  I was almost done shopping, and my scribbled out list and a pen were kind of wrapped around the buggy handle as I pushed. It was the final isle; the crackers, cheese and the deli food, including the chicken rotisserie. One of the young employees behind the counter had just loaded up the rotisserie with plump birds and started the motor.  Lights on, birds turning, then, just as I approached I heard a loud, scraping, metallic, CLUNK. The rotisserie door burst open and a fugitive foul flew forcefully towards me. ( Don’t you love alliteration?)    I instinctively reached out my arms and caught it by a wing and a leg, finally grabbing it with both arms; list and pen included.  Before, I could adjust my grip, there was another clunk and a second bird was propelled off a falling skewer and began it’s flight toward me. I shoved bird #1 under my left arm and slammed my open palm against the rotisserie door, nabbing  Henny Penny  with one leg out and the rest of her plastered against the glass.  As I held my post, wide eyed and relentless, the remaining birds followed with their respective clunks and also slammed against the door, each determined to jar it open.   The young clerk turned in the midst of the commotion and gaped at me, standing awkwardly  with a raw chicken under one arm and the rest of his birds threatening to break down the door. In my moment of unbelief, I could think of only one comment and stated loudly: “I didn’t do it!”

  An audience had gathered.  It wasn’t funny yet, at least to me, but it was to them. They could all see that I was the innocent victim,  and it was obvious that  ‘someone’  hadn’t clicked the skewers in properly!   

  Now, thinking back, it’s quite funny and if cell phone cameras had been around at that period of history, I would have been on National news, or U Tube, and giving interviews.  But, even better, the Lord regularly uses circumstances to teach me and help me to grow. 

The chicken caper, had really been very innocuous.  It was a surprise, but had no negative effects.  It did not ruin my day. But, what about the days where the surprises are negative, and hit you like the chickens slamming against the door.  One after another after another. What if there is a mixture of pain, loss, things breaking down, a car accident, relationship problems, financial stress, and whatever else. And what if it all hits at once.  Lets look at a bad day in the life of a fellow named Job beginning at Job 1:1:

1 ¶  There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.2  And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.

3  His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

This was a man that honoured God and had been very blessed. In fact he lived and had the influence of a King.  In verses 14 -19, we can read about his very bad day...... he catastrophically  lost everything:   livestock, servants, and all his children.  Read his response vs. 20-22.

  Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,21  And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.22  In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. 

     WOW ! But, Satan still wasn’t through with him:  Job’s problems are not over yet:    Job 1:7   So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.8  And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.

The next blow:  vs 9  Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

Oh boy! What comfort from the one that lies in your bosem!  Job’s answer:10  But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.    Another big WOW!

And the last blow: his self righteous but well meaning friends came to keep him company and beat him with their religious baseball bats. Job mourns, and suffers, and expresses his anguish, but never loses his faith in his creator. In fact his last haven is thinking about eternity when all will be well. Job 19:26  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

Friends, things do not always go well,  but Christ encourages us in our difficulties: Joh 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.  Our last refuge will be heaven, if we are blood bought children of God.   But, there is more !  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. .  Ro 8:28 

  If we hang on to the Lord in faith, most often we see God’s hand of deliverance and subsequent blessing in the right here and now.  Ask Godly people who have endured great trials if our wonderful, faithful God does not bring good out of evil? Their life experiences will awe and bless you.

And what about Job? Read Job 42:7-17    He is vindicated!  He is comforted! He is blessed! This included another seven sons and three daughters!

 And what about Job’s wife who added to his discomfort and didn’t show faith in God?   I mean, she was grieving too, so we have to feel a little sorry for her.  Well, she gets to also enjoy the blessings of God !  Really!  But, I have to add as a long time mother that while Job gets to sit down for a bit and dandle grinning, gurgling babies, Mom gets to enjoy:   another ten pregnancies, ten sets of labour pains, lots of sore and cracked ‘baby bottles’,  maybe 25years of dirty diapers, and if culture allows about the same time period of someone in their terrible two’s !    P.S. I really, honestly did and do love being a mother.    Start each day with prayer, Walk with spiritual care, and finish your day, regardless of it’s joys or sorrows, with your faith firmly planted in the God of the present, and the eternal.  Here’s a little poem that I wrote more than 30 years ago when I was a young mom.

If I Only Knew

If I only knew what lay ahead, I never would go on.

I’d run from all the storms of life, my fears would cloud the dawn.

I’d pray that I’d be spared the day that peace was torn by tears.

I’d lack the courage to face the storm that would mould the coming years.

Oh blessed Lord, I praise your name; in whom all wisdom lies;

You’ve placed me in the darkest nights until my own life dies.

And then your loving whisper comes and calms what lies ahead.

Then by Your strength my paths are laid, and by Your love I’m led.

I’ve known Your beauty in the light, the glory of Your power.

I’ve felt the closeness of Your hand, I’ve dwelt in Your high tower.

But there’s no beauty known to man like the beauty of Your smile,

When it beckons through a night of tears at the end of a weary mile.

Oh Lord, I dread the times of pain; I cling to joy and peace.

But every step You lead me through is fragrant with release, of a life I tend to call my own.

So please, lead me in Your ways, until the labour of Your love, gives birth to eternal praise.     Rosemary