Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour "The Lesser of Two Evils" for Monday, 30 July 2018
Genesis 50:20 - (Joseph said) "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today."There are times when it seems like no choice we can make will be a good one, and we must simply opt for the "lesser of two evils."
That was the way it was for Walter Carr, an Alabama student, who was scheduled to begin a training program for his first job. He was ready and eager to go, but his car was not. The night before he was to start his new job, that car breathed its last, which left Carr with some options.
1. He could call and say, "I'm not going to make it to work today. Can I begin on another, later day?
2. He could do nothing because, obviously, he wasn't destined to begin work at the Bellhops moving company.
3. He could try to find somebody who would drive him to his new job which was 20 miles away.
With no really good options, Carr opted for option 4.
4. This option said Carr would walk the 20 miles to his workplace.
True, he would have to begin at midnight and walk all through the night, but at least he would show to his new boss that the job was important.
And so it was, Carr began his 20-mile walk. He began it, but he didn't finish it. You see, somewhere around 4 a.m. the police spotted him, stopped him, questioned him, and were intrigued.
The cops took Carr to breakfast, and then at 6:30 a.m., they delivered him to the Lameys. The Lameys were the people Carr was supposed to help move. The policemen explained Carr's story to the Lameys who were impressed by Carr's desire-to-work ethic.
The Lameys put his story on Facebook.
Carr's story went viral and eventually it reached Luke Marklin, the CEO of the Bellhops moving organization. Mr. Marklin was so impressed with his new employee he drove from Tennessee to Alabama to meet Carr, take him to breakfast, and thank him. At the end of the meeting, Marklin gave Carr his 2014 Ford. So, maybe Carr's choices weren't so bad after all.
So, what can we learn from Carr's story.
Might I suggest that when it seems we have to choose the lesser of two evils what we really need do is be turned to the Lord. Rather than picking a second-rate lesser-of-two evils, Joseph regularly turned to the Lord for guidance. Many other Bible heroes had their finest hours when they were turned to the Lord.
When you are turned to our loving, saving Lord, you just may find that our Lord is "faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it" (1 Corinthians 10:13b). In short, we will find God's way is infinitely better than our way or the lesser of two evils.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, most of us have encountered times when it seemed like there were no right choices, no proper procedures. Grant that we will never give in to despair. Instead, may the Holy Spirit turn us to the Lord who can turn evil into good. In the Name of the Savior who has saved us from hell, I pray. Amen.
The above devotion was inspired by a number of sources, including one written by Elle Nicholson for America upbeat on July 18, 2018. Those who wish to reference that article may do so at the following link, which was fully functional at the time this devotion was written: http://americanupbeat.com/college-student-walked-20-miles-to-first-day-of-work-so-his-boss-did-this/
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Today's Bible in a Year Reading: Psalms 113-115; 1 Thessalonians 3
Psalms 113:1 Halleluyah!
Servants of Adonai, give praise!
Give praise to the name of Adonai!
2 Blessed be the name of Adonai
from this moment on and forever!
3 From sunrise until sunset
Adonai’s name is to be praised.
4 Adonai is high above all nations,
his glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like Adonai our God,
seated in the heights,
6 humbling himself to look
on heaven and on earth.
7 He raises the poor from the dust,
lifts the needy from the rubbish heap,
8 in order to give him a place among princes,
among the princes of his people.
9 He causes the childless woman
to live at home happily as a mother of children.
Halleluyah!
114:1 When Isra’el came out of Egypt,
the house of Ya‘akov from a people of foreign speech,
2 Y’hudah became [God’s] sanctuary,
Isra’el his domain.
3 The sea saw this and fled;
the Yarden turned back;
4 the mountains skipped like rams,
the hills like young sheep.
5 Why is it, sea, that you flee?
Why, Yarden, do you turn back?
6 Why, mountains, do you skip like rams;
and you hills like young sheep?
7 Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Ya‘akov,
8 who turned the rock into a pool of water,
flint into flowing spring.
115:1 Not to us, Adonai, not to us,
but to your name give glory,
because of your grace and truth.
2 Why should the nations ask,
“Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in heaven;
he does whatever pleases him.
4 Their idols are mere silver and gold,
made by human hands.
5 They have mouths, but they can’t speak;
they have eyes, but they can’t see;
6 they have ears, but they can’t hear;
they have noses, but they can’t smell;
7 they have hands, but they can’t feel;
they have feet, but they can’t walk;
with their throats they can’t make a sound.
8 The people who make them will become like them,
along with everyone who trusts in them.
9 Isra’el, trust in Adonai!
He is their help and shield.
10 House of Aharon, trust in Adonai!
He is their help and shield.
11 You who fear Adonai, trust in Adonai!
He is their help and shield.
12 Adonai has kept us in mind,
and he will bless.
He will bless the house of Isra’el;
he will bless the house of Aharon;
13 he will bless those who fear Adonai,
great and small alike.
14 May Adonai increase your numbers,
both yours and those of your children.
15 May you be blessed by Adonai,
the maker of heaven and earth.
16 Heaven belongs to Adonai,
but the earth he has given to humankind.
17 The dead can’t praise Adonai,
not those who sink down into silence.
18 But we will bless Adonai
from now on and forever.
Halleluyah!
1 Thessalonians 3: 1 So when we could no longer stand it, we agreed to be left in Athens alone 2 and sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker for the Good News of the Messiah, to make you solid and encourage you in your trust; 3 so that none of you would let these persecutions unsettle him. For you yourselves know that these are bound to come to us; 4 even when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were about to be persecuted; and indeed it has happened, as you know. 5 That is the reason why, after I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your trust. I was afraid that somehow the Tempter had tempted you, and our hard work had been wasted.
6 But now Timothy has come to us from you, bringing good news about your trust and love, and telling us that you remember us well and are always longing to see us, just as we long to see you. 7 Because of this, brothers, in spite of all our trouble and distress, we were comforted over you — because of your trust; 8 so that now we are alive; since you continue to stand fast, united with the Lord.
9 Indeed, how can we thank God enough for you or express to our God all the joy we feel because of you? 10 Night and day we pray as hard as we can that we will be able to see you face to face and supply whatever shortcomings there may be in your trust. 11 May God our Father and our Lord Yeshua direct our way to you.
12 And as for you, may the Lord make you increase and overflow in love toward each other, indeed, toward everyone, just as we do toward you; 13 so that he may give you the inner strength to be blameless, by reason of your holiness, when you stand before God our Father at the coming of our Lord Yeshua with all his angels. (Complete Jewish Bible).
Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
CHANGE THEIR WORLD. CHANGE YOURS.
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.
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