Unusual Ingredients

Life is full of ups and downs, glorious and inglorious moments, old and new seasons, things we like and things we don’t like.

God is always moving us on as He has new unveilings to show us in His plans and purposes for our lives. Sometimes we isolate one incident or negative season which hits us hard and can affect our passion for the Lord, because at that moment we don’t understand, and can’t see the reason for it. We may not always appreciate the pit stops of testing and trials, yet they are crucial to the rich tapestry which makes up our lives. This is where faith comes in. God is infinite and perfect, and with Him there is always something more for us as He has the bigger picture.

Had the wine not run out at the wedding at Cana in Galilee, there would not have been the opportunity for the touch of Jesus to bring forth the new wine for everyone to enjoy. On that occasion Mary’s wise words to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it” (John 2:5), will forever be pivotal to all His disciples in this journey of life.

The Bible says that ‘weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning’ (Psalm 30:5). This must surely have been the case for Abraham, who must have wept and wondered if he heard right when God asked him to do the unthinkable and offer his only son as a sacrifice. We know the outcome, that it was only a test, but Abraham didn’t. He had to trust that somehow God would indeed redeem the situation and ‘provide Himself a lamb’ for a burnt offering. Which He did! The outcome of this meant great blessing had been opened up, not only for Abraham and his family, but for the whole world, because one man dared to trust God and be obedient (Genesis 22:1-18).

For Naomi, a season of loss following a seemingly poor decision must have felt like nothing would ever go right again. The book of Ruth records that, trying to escape a famine, the family moved to Moab, but in the process of time her husband and two sons died. She even tried to change her own name to Mara (meaning ‘bitter’), thinking that God was no longer blessing her. But once she turned her foot back into the ways of the Lord and returned to Israel, God turned the whole negative situation around through her daughter-in-law, Ruth, marrying Boaz, the kinsman redeemer. The result of their story ultimately, and miraculously, finds its way briefly nestled into the lineage of Christ in the opening verses of Matthew’s Gospel, Chapter one, verse five). What a blessing!

So whatever the unexpected brings, know that it is no surprise to God. He is not shocked or dismayed. All He requires is our cooperation. Your story isn’t over. For all who choose to walk in the ways of the Lord, He already has the answer and the best way through.