This past week, I started reading my Bible from cover to cover. My World Race team decided we were going to complete a 90-day Bible reading plan together. We started on Wednesday, and I finished reading Genesis this evening.
I’m loving it so far and feel like I have felt so many different emotions in reading it. I’ve read Genesis before, but for some reason, it felt different this time. I felt like I was reading it with fresh eyes, noticing things I hadn’t before. Feeling different emotions and different thoughts coming to mind.
So much happens in Genesis. There’s the creation of the world. There’s the fall of mankind to sin. There’s God wiping out the entire world by a flood. There’s the incredible faith of Abraham. There’s the promise to make a man’s bloodline great through many nations. There’s betrayal. There’s jealousy. There’s murder. There’s selling of wives. There’s famine. There’s God’s provision. So much happens in those first 50 chapters of the Bible.
When I finished reading, I took some time to think about it all and what I can learn from it. What I concluded was God’s hand was in it the entire time. I don’t think I can sum it up any better than what Joseph says in the last chapter. He says to his brothers, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Genesis 50:20) God’s chosen people have take a many twist and turn to get where they end up. Through trouble and hardship and in sin, God never once abandoned them. He remained with His people. His hand was in it all. He had a plan for them. And it was all for His good.
I am reminded of His hand in my life as well. I’ve had similar conversations of God’s goodness with my parents this week as well as with my Bible study group. Even though some situations in life have been difficult, and even sucky at times, God brought about good in them. I may not have been able to see the good when I was in it at the time, but after, I can only see God’s goodness. And I see His hand in leading me through to the World Race.
This past fall, I was considering the process of buying a house here in Mishawaka. I didn’t get very far as the door I thought was open, ended up closing. I was disappointed at the time because I thought a house was the next chapter for my life. But now I can see the good in God keeping me from buying a house. I can’t imagine trying to figure out what to do with a house for eleven months while I’m traveling the world.
Instead, I moved in with a friend in an apartment. A friend who knew a bit more about the World Race and started to water the seeds, which were already planted. And an apartment where the lease ends a month before I leave on the race.
Those are just a couple of instances, of so many, where God’s plan has been for my good even if I couldn’t see it at the time. And there’s more I could share, but I don’t want to go to long with this.
It’s just great seeing the things God was doing in the Israelites lives He still does in lives today. Specifically my life. He changes not. He remains in my life regardless of what I’m going through. And He is good. Sometimes I need to have the crappy things happen so God can use them for His good. To show His love and His might. And His faithfulness as He remains in my life.
