From Loss To Gain
Read: Genesis 45:1-15
God sent me . . to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God. –Genesis 45:7-8
The book In His Steps may have earned less money for its author than any other bestseller in history. Charles M. Sheldon wrote it in 1896, and it was first published by a religious weekly magazine. The magazine’s publisher failed to meet copyright regulations, so Sheldon lost legal ownership of the book. Scores of publishers then sold millions of copies, and the author couldn’t claim any royalties.
Forty years after Charles Sheldon “lost” his book, he said, “I am very thankful that owing to the defective copyright, the book has had a larger reading on account of the great number of publishers.”
Joseph too experienced losses. He was sold into slavery by his brothers (Gen. 37:20-27). Then he lost his position in Potiphar’s household because of a false accusation (39:1-20). And yet he did not blame anyone. Instead he recognized that God had orchestrated the events of his life for the eventual good of others (45:7-8). Joseph became a ruler in Egypt, and during a famine he was able to help many people.
Our losses may be part of God’s plan for us or the result of choices we make in obedience to Him. What appears to be human tragedy is often the seed of divine triumph. –DCM
Although I may not understand
The path You’ve laid for me,
Complete surrender to Your will–
Lord, this my prayer shall be. –Sherbert
When you grasp, you lose; when you yield to God, you gain.