The Pathway of Blessings

On a trip to the Holy Lands a few years ago my husband and I watched these women make bread.  It was about noon and  we were hungry.  The smell of the bread baking in this open oven was interesting but we were more concerned in getting a slice of bread so we could eat it and satisfy our hunger.  All the time we knew  where our bread was coming from. There was an abundance of bread and our hosts were sure to fill our needs, that we didn't doubt, there would be plenty of bread to eat.
This morning I heard a story that had a totally different message in it.  It told about a poor women who lived alone in poverty and didn't know where her next bite of bread would come from.  She had a little peanut butter and jam in her cupboard but no bread to put it on.  She was a women of faith so she started praying for bread.  She was so intense in her prayer that she cried out to God for just a little bread.  She opened the window, probably thinking God could hear her better that way.  Well, an atheist man lived next door to her and he heard her lifting her voice in anxiety still praying for God to  give her some bread. He thought he would prove to her that God did not answer her prayer so he took a loaf of bread, climbed up on her roof and dropped the loaf of bread down her chimney.  Instantly the women started thanking God for the bread.  The man came to her home and told her that her God did not give her the bread, he had slid it down the chimney.  God had nothing to do with the bread.  God did not answer her prayer for bread, he had . At this the women started shouting praises to God and the man could not figure out why and he asked her why she was thanking God.  The women answered that God had given her the bread and even had a devil deliver it to her.
While the story is humorous it does point out a valid lesson for us all.  During the course of a day or week or month we live our lives in such a way that we anticipate God will lead us.  How wonderful to rest in the assurance that God has a plan all laid out for each one of us.  In my early years I don't remember making a lot of future plans for myself or setting lofty goals but focused mainly on what the duties of the days required.  As I related in my book, I've Always Been Rich, I grew up on a farm where chores had to be done 24/7.  The luxury of having more education or a different occupation was read about but didn't make much of a connection to life as we were living it.  However. I have learned that just because we don't dream of becoming much more than  we are God often has a much different plan for us.  And how do we know when God is speaking to us or is he speaking through someone else to give you His message?  It may even be a calamity or unexpected person. Again, the book details  this much further in depth.  The story above was explained in conjunction with the story of Joseph in the Bible. It makes for an interesting read and is found in the book of Genesis.  Joseph had many difficult, bad, sorry as well as unexpected good events in his life.  But still in the end he could say God had used all the horrible events to bring about His great plan.  Joseph could only know that in hind site but he still remained faithful to God enduring a difficult life.  Be open, discerning, attentive to how God may be calling you.  Step out in faith and know God will enable you for the calling.  He will supply the bread but  we don't always know what or who He will use to make it happen.
Marilyn Rensink    mjrevmom6@aol.com   Praying you all are experiencing His grace each day.