Disaster Recovery

23So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe--the richly ornamented robe he was wearing--24 and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it. Genesis 27:23,24

The Great Lisbon earthquake of 1755 is estimated to have been about a 9 on the Richter magnitude scale. (The biggest earthquake actually ever recorded was a 9.5). The earthquake took place in the capital city of Portugal at 9:40 in the morning and triggered a tsunami and fires. It was one of the most destructive earthquakes in history. More than two thirds of the buildings in Lisbon were destroyed as were many lives, important historical texts and works of art. This single earthquake however was responsible for the birth of modern seismology and earthquake engineering; it raised the wages of construction workers and led to the abandonment of Portugal’s colonial ambitions and significant theological advancements in the concept of Theodicy. As Christians, we know that God is able to create good out of circumstances that appear bad.

The story of Joseph is an almost mathematical diagram of an equation that would be expressed as T + AD =OGDP2 or Trouble + Apparent Disaster equals the opportunity for God to Demonstrate his Power. Joseph goes from the pit to the prison, suffering a series of trials which on the surface might indicate God’s displeasure. However, ultimately God’s purpose is revealed when Joseph goes in front of the Pharaoh and interprets his dreams. Pharaoh puts him second in command of all of Egypt and Joseph becomes the agent by which God saves his family from famine. As believers, we waste our time trying to figure out the nature of our trials. Simply put, God can take any circumstance and turn it into a blessing greater than we could have imagined possible.

My prayer for you today is that you continue to put your whole trust in God, whose purpose for you emanates out of his love.

Deacon Larry Woodard