Luke 15:8-10 – Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, "Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin." In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. (NIV)

Romans 8:28 – And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (KJV)

I'm always amazed how God can take a seeming disaster and make it work out for the good, with a much better outcome than could have been imagined. Here's my "lost coin" story with a twist.

From the beginning in 1996 until about a year ago, the files for the Daily devotional were prepared in a complicated, specialized, multi-step process using scripts designed to be run only on my own computer. The files were then transferred through the Internet to the remote server that sends out the e-mails and updates the website.

About three years ago, PCCWeb was moved to a new service provider, and I was given a security token that produced a new password every minute. I was under the impression that the security tokens were very expensive, about $100 apiece, so we could have only one amongst all the Daily staff. But our Feedback Editor also needed to post a file on the website every day. So I wrote a script on the server that would do that, using a simple web-page form, bypassing the security token.

About two years ago, a disaster happened. After I had babysat my granddaughter in my office one day, I could not find my security token, so I couldn't transfer any files. At first, I didn't know what to do, but then (I realize now, looking back on it), God gave me the idea of modifying the Feedback Editor's script so that it would post any file and perform several maintenance functions. This worked so well that I have never needed the security token since, nor have I found it. But more importantly, about a year ago, God gave me the idea of also using simple web-page forms to post the devotionals. I transferred all the processes and databases used to produce the mailings off my own computer onto the server. As a result, anyone who knows the system can post the devotionals in a one-step process from anywhere in the world with Internet access, without special software.

This breakthrough would not have happened if the disaster of losing my security token had not occurred. I have since learned that new security tokens are only $25, but look what's happened because God inspired me not to replace it. All things do "work together for good to them that love God"! It's my favourite verse, because it applies to all of us people of God. Life may sometimes be a frightening roller-coaster ride, with all its ups and downs, but because God has a purpose that constantly guides us, we believe that the roller coaster is always on the rails!

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, that what could harm us, You intend for good, to accomplish what You intend to be done in our own lives and in the lives of those who are watching. Keep us faithful as we wait for Your wise and loving plan to unfold. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Forward this devotional     Share on Facebook

About the author:

Robin Ross <rross@telus.net>
Mission, British Columbia, Canada
Send your feedback to the author