There once was a poor woodcutter, an old man who cut firewood, dragging it to the village market and scratching out a living. Although poor, he was envied by many for he owned a beautiful stallion, a horse so majestic such had never been seen before. People offered fabulous prices to buy it but the old man refused to sell as he so loved his horse.
One morning he discovered the horse was not in the stable. “You old fool,” scoffed the villagers, “You should have sold the horse. Now it is gone and you’ve been cursed with misfortune.” Said the old man, “Don’t speak so quickly. Say only the horse is not in the stable. That is all we really know.”
Two weeks later the horse returned. He had run away but not only did he return, he brought a dozen wild horses with him. The people said, “Old man, you were right. What we thought was a curse turned out to be a blessing.” He responded, “I can only say my horse is back with a dozen horses with him. I do not know if it is a blessing or not. We only see a fragment of the whole.”
The woodcutter had an only son. One day the boy was breaking one of the wild horses when he was thrown and fractured both legs. “You were right,” said the villagers. The extra horses were not a blessing. They have been a curse.” The old man replied, “Say only my son has broken his legs. Who knows if it is a curse or blessing.”
A few weeks later the country found itself in war. All the young men of the village were required to join the army except the boy with two broken legs. “You were right, old man” said the villagers. “Your son’s accident was a blessing. His legs will mend but our sons may never come home.”
“I certainly don’t know,” he said. “All I know is this, that those who truly love God and are called according to his purpose, will discover that all things, that means everything, works out for the good.”
I am thinking the beautiful stallion in the story might have looked something like this.
Prayer Focus This week…
- Blessing of the Artists this Friday night at St. Catherine’s (7 pm)
- Children’s baptism this coming Sunday morning
- Recovering from Surgeries – Kayleigh and Mike
- Continue to pray for Ty Flemings deployment overseas
- New Members Class this Sunday (12:30 pm)
- Missions Evening also this Sunday, 7 pm
Reminders: Jeff’s Deeper Walk Class is taking a break for now as is Alison and Robin’s Shine Bible Study which resumes Wednesday, June 19.
Final Thought – Joy is how God reminds us that we are alive.
Pastor Jay