Romans 11:33-34a – Oh, the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? (NIV)

It happened suddenly. In my den, I stepped away from my ironing board and lost my balance. Mid-air, I dreaded injuring my already-compromised hip. Almost at the floor, the seat of my pants caught on a plastic projection sticking out from a piece of equipment by my desk. The force of my fall was broken.

I felt an almost two-by-two-inch jagged right-angular rip on the upper back hip of my tweedy pants. Only a slight scratch marred the skin beneath. No bumps.

I had made the pants, so I had remnants of the fabric. At my sewing machine, I planned a patch, but decided that it would be impossible to make it look neat. Then, I noticed that the rip was in a perfect place to cover it with a pocket.

So, my new pocket, rather than spoiling, enhances. And I found a matching button to hold the top of the pocket shut so that the rip beneath is totally hidden.

I wondered why God had let me fall and had immediately saved me from serious injury by literally catching me by the seat of my pants!

The ways of God are past finding out.

Isaiah 55:8-9 – "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (NIV)

What could I do but smile and be very thankful, praise God, and ask Him to continue to save me from injury?

We can rest assured that the eternal way of our Lord is to be merciful. Paul writes to Titus, "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3:4-5 NIV)

Psalm 103:11 – For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him. (NIV)

Prayer: Though we cannot fathom the intricacies of Your way, Lord, we thank You for Your assurance "that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28 NIV). Cause us to live in carefulness according to Your will and Your way. Please guide us in Your way everlasting, according to Your full and free salvation. Amen.

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