The following is an anecdote that has floated around the internet. It isn’t something I wrote, but has a wonderful message, so I decided to share it here in this month’s Poetry &
Prose post. Thank you to the unknown author!
Please, enjoy reading it and meditating on its message!
“One Sunday morning at a small southern church, the new pastor called on one of his older deacons to lead in the opening prayer.
The deacon stood up, bowed his head and said, ‘Lord, I hate buttermilk.’
The pastor opened one eye and wondered where this was going. The deacon continued, ‘Lord, I hate lard.’
Now the pastor was totally perplexed.
The deacon continued, ‘Lord, I ain't too crazy about plain flour. But after you mix 'em all together and bake 'em in a hot oven, I just love biscuits. Lord help us to realize when life gets hard, when things come up that we don't like, whenever we don't understand what You are doing, that we need to wait and see what You are making, After you get through mixing and baking, it'll probably be something even better than biscuits. Amen.’”
Related Scripture:
Romans 8:28 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Philippians 2:13 – “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”
Psalm 29:11 – “The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.”
Jeremiah 29:11 – “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
Romans 5:3-5 – “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
Psalm 127 –
“If the Lord doesn’t build the house,
the builders are working for nothing.
If the Lord doesn’t guard the city,
the guards are watching for nothing.
It is no use for you to get up early
and stay up late,
working for a living.
The Lord gives sleep to those he loves.
Children are a gift from the Lord;
babies are a reward.
Children who are born to a young man
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.
Happy is the man
who has his bag full of arrows.
They will not be defeated
when they fight their enemies at the city gate.”