Webster says “To mean; to design; to purpose, that is, to stretch or set forward in mind.”
As I have my quiet time this morning, I have come across the same theme, the same message.
Nobody intends to screw up their life.
Nobody means to have their once wonderful, romantic marriage turn sour.
Nobody means to become financially destroyed.
Nobody means to become addicted to drugs or alcohol.
The list could go on and on and on. Nobody means to be a sinner.
I don’t mean to be one, but try as I may, I am one.
Thank you again Lord, for your forgiveness, for your outstretched Hand, Your Spirit within me that enables me to learn from those things and move forward. Thank You for Your amazing ability to bless me even out of my own poor decisions and wrong attitudes….when I truly repent and turn AWAY from them, and TO You. Thank You for the amazing way you have used those things to grow my faith in You. How I love You for that.
The book of Joshua gives an example of provisions and protection that God put in place for people who had ‘didn’t intend to’ things in their life.
"A person shall escape for refuge to one of these cities, stand at the entrance to the city gate, and lay out his case before the city's leaders. The leaders must then take him into the city among them and give him a place to live with them.
"If the avenger of blood chases after him, they must not give him up--he didn't intend to kill the person; there was no history of ill-feeling.
He may stay in that city until he has stood trial before the congregation and until the death of the current high priest. Then he may go back to his own home in his hometown from which he fled." (Joshua 20:4-6)
God’s Heart has never changed. No matter what wrong thing has happened to us, no matter what poor decisions we have made, no matter how devastating the consequences of those choices, His Heart’s desire is to restore us, heal us, and use even the wrong thing.
He is God. And He can do it. WANTS to do it…
But we have to make the move. We have to turn and go to Him. He is our city of refuge.
He is our Healer.
