Psalm 73:28 – But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works. (NJKV)

This summer, we bought new garden furniture for our backyard. We unpacked it from the boxes, removed all the plastic, and set in groups all the pieces to be put together. Then, as it was a very hot day, we went inside for a break before putting it together. When we came back outside a short time later, one of the plastic bags had blown onto the lawn. When I picked it up, there was a huge yellow mark on the grass. As the day wore on, the mark changed from yellow to a dry, brown patch.

The next day, my husband got a new piece of sod and began to cut out the now dead piece of lawn. As he pulled it up, he called to me and said, "I think we have grubs." I came and confirmed his suspicions.

Years ago, we had heard a parable of the Chinese farmer who, when a number of events happened in his life, answered, "Good, bad, who's to say?"

We looked at this as a could-be-bad, could-be-good event in our life. Had it not been for the plastic bag appearing to kill a portion of our lawn and our having to replace it, we would have been dealing with a bigger problem down the road with the grubs. What we thought was bad actually had a good result.

This got me thinking that at times in my life, I may neglect to see the good when I focus on the bad. This is pointed out in the parable with the words that he spoke: "Good, bad, who's to say?" He put the good first in his thinking. If we do the same, then maybe, we will either see the good immediately, or else sooner get to a place of seeing the good in our lives.

Yes, I was looking down and saw the damage, but I also needed to look up to see the good. If my focus had remained looking down on the damage, I could have missed the good to come.

Matthew 17:8 – When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. (NKJV)

Looking at our lawn today, a few weeks later, one would never know that we had cut a piece out and replaced it. It has completely knitted itself together.

Likewise, Jesus specializes in healing, so let us bring our insults, injuries, and setbacks, our disappointments, heartaches, and griefs to Him, and let Him knit our wounds and our lives into His, when we come to the cross.

Colossians 2:2-3 – That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (NKJV)

Prayer: Dear Jesus, we are so very sorry for the times when we could see only the bad. Lord, thank You for coming and showing us a way to see the good in all things. Continue to work in our lives so that we can focus on the good sooner. In Your name, we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

Julie Bowles <julieanni@rogers.com>
Barrie, Ontario, Canada
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