Bible in 90 Days--Day 19!

Something beautiful. Have you ever seen an ugly, thorny rose cane when it's dormant, and then again when it is covered with lovely blooms? It has been transformed from it's ugliness into something beautiful. It did not do this transformation by itself, for if it was cut off from the original bush and thrown away it could not bring about blooms. No, it was from being connected to the roots--fed by the nutrients in the soil, refreshed by the rain, nurtured from the sunshine. And something completely ugly was--by God's power--turned into something beautiful.

This morning I read through the book of Ruth. There are ugly thorns there, that's a reality. Naomi lost not only her husband in death, but both of her sons as well--and she did not even have any grandchildren to still bring her comfort in her sorrow. I know most parents would much rather die themselves, than to see one of their children experience death. Naomi lost her life partner, and all of her children. Ruth had thorns given to her as well--her husband gone, no children. And to top it all off, she had learned to worship a different God than the one her surrounding countrymen worshiped. Which made her even more "different".

But God. God led these women--who had lost everything--back to Naomi's homeland. And once there, He led and directed their lives until both women were surrounded by happiness once again.

Don't you just love those words? But God. Those are my favorite words in all the English language. Because He can take something utterly and completely ugly, and turn it into something beautiful.