Directing the wind.

Last night was incredibly windy. We hurriedly brought in anything that would have blown away or been damaged. At one point on the back terrace, the wind swept in and created a small tornado funnel of leaves. I literally was in the eye of the storm as leaves spun around my feet at lightning speed. It was cool and frightening all at the same time.

This morning I assessed the outside decor and have not noticed any significant damage to speak of. In fact, I found something just opposite of what I expected to see. Can extreme wind create order instead of chaos? Apparently so.

The east side of the house displayed the above image. You need to know the leaves you see here were not there yesterday. In fact, those leaves were under the trees in the background and from other areas of the yard. The fierce wind gusts gathered the leaves and deposited them here in a tidy pile. I simply need to go out and bag them or mulch them with the mower. The point is, I don't have to go out and rake them from the farthest points of the yard. the wind accomplished that task. What dynamics occur here on the east side of the house that caused this windfall (pun intended)?

I'm sure there are specific angles on the house, strategic trees, bushes, and other variables present to create this dumping ground. At the end of the day, I don't try to figure out all the reasons this phenomenom occurred. I just need to rejoice and be glad while getting the leaves cared for and removed.

Our relationship with God is like that. We have all these leaves littering our life and occasionally, a strong wind event will come through and threaten our well-being. We scurry to and fro battening the hatches in preparation for the worst and after the event realize something positive came out of the supposed chaos.

In Genesis I'm reminded of Joseph, son of Rachel and Jacob, who endured a host of wind storms in his young life. He was:

* ridiculed and threatened by his brothers.

* sold into slavery.

* thought to have been killed by a lion (at least his father thought so).

* seduced and wrongly accused of rape.

* forgotten in prison.

yet, through all of these possible life ending tragedies, Joseph was being covered and protected by God's hand. He was:

* rescued from the well.

* sold into slavery and sent to Egypt instead of dying.

* not killed by a lion.

* able to maintain his integrity in the face of accusations.

* blessed to be able to interpret dreams and was released from prison.

* placed second in command over Egypt.

* in position to save his people.

Joseph would later tell his brothers the following.....

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done,

the saving of many lives." (Genesis 50:20, NIV)

I'm sure you experience frightening wind storms in your life. All hope seems lost and tomorrow looks more bleak than today. Take heart, God is creating order out of your chaos. Stand firm in God's promises from Jeremiah 29:11.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm

you, plans to give you hope and a future."