John 13:7 "Jesus replied, 'You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.'"

There is a Hebrew legend that tells of a rabbi journeying on a mule through a wild country. His only companion was a rooster whose shrill crowing at sunrise awoke him to his devotions. He came to a small town at nightfall and sought shelter, but the inhabitants turned him away. Outside the village he found a cave in which to sleep. He lit his lamp before retiring, but a gust of wind blew out the light. During the night a wolf killed his rooster and a lion devoured his mule. Early in the morning he went to the town to see if he could buy some food. To his surprise he found no one alive. A band of robbers during the night had plundered the settlement and killed all the inhabitants.

"Now I understand my troubles," said the rabbi. "If the townspeople had received me, I would now be dead. Had not my rooster and mule been killed, their noise or the light of my lamp would have revealed my hiding place. God has been good to me." In similar manner, the troubles and reverses of life are intended to direct you and me to put full faith and trust in the Savior, whose redemptive work secured our eternal good.

PRAYER: All-knowing Lord, help us to trust You in all circumstances of life, even in those we do not now understand. Amen.

(Taken from "Words of Promise," copyright 1996, Concordia Publishing House (out of print). For information on other devotional materials, call 1-800 325-3040.)

Today's Bible Readings: Job 34-35    Matthew 14:22-36

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