Daily Devotion - Tuesday, January 27

Good Luck, Bad Luck

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
God mercies never come to an end
They are new every morning, new every morning
Great is God’s faithfulness, Great is God’s faithfulness.”
--A paraphrase of an early Hebraic song

Yesterday I shared the story behind SFGTD, Something For God To Do. As a follow up to yesterday’s devotion, I hope you will enjoy this ancient Chinese story.

There was an old farmer who had an old horse for tilling his fields. One day the horse escaped into the hills and when all the farmer’s neighbors sympathized with the old man over his bad luck, the farmer replied, “Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?” A week later the horse returned with a herd of wild horses from the hills and this time the neighbors congratulated the farmer on his good luck. His reply was “Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?” Then, when the farmer’s son was attempting to tame one of the wild horses, he fell off its back and broke his leg. Everyone thought this very bad luck. Not the farmer, whose only reaction was “Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?” Some weeks later the army marched into the village and conscripted every able-bodied youth they found there. When they saw the farmer’s son with his broken leg they let him off. Now was that good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?

Everything that seems on the surface to be an evil may be a good in disguise. And everything that seems good on the surface may really be an evil. May we be wise and learn that in all things we can and should give thanks.

A prayer: O God, I release all things to you trusting in your steadfast love. Amen.

Ben Keckler
01.27.09