"For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come." (Hebrews 13:14 KJV)
"For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down, (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit." (2 Corinthians 5:1-5 NLT)
As I was pondering the thought of what I should follow up with, the Lord spoke into my heart about the things that we see in the Scriptures about the bad things and wrong choices many have done; and yet, even though these things were bad or wrong, God was able to use what they did for something good. We are only able to see certain things as if the glass is half full; not in our lifetime will that which has been turned from bad to good, be something always for us to see, at least not in this life.
To give you an example of what that looks like, Abraham had done wrong when Sarah asked him to use her handmaid to fulfill God's promise, as if that was the means for a child to come through her. The birth of Ishmael was not what God promised; it actually was thing produced by human means, not by the will of God!
Yet, a few generations later, a band of Ishmaelites, who happened to be slave traders, had shown up when Joseph brothers were going to kill him; making a way for Joseph to be taken to Egypt. I guess we all know what happen with that! So even that which was wrong, God used it to do something good! The whole human race of Isreal was saved...
"But now that their father was dead, Joseph's brothers became fearful. "Now Joseph will show his anger and pay us back for all the wrong we did to him," they said. So they sent this message to Joseph: "Before your father died, he instructed us to say to you: 'Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you - for their sin of treating you so cruelly.' So we, the servants of he God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin." When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. "Look, we are your slaves!" they said. But Joseph replied, "Don't be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. No, don't be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children." So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them." (Genisis 50:15-21 NLT)
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