Monday, October 1, 2012

Area Director's October Devotional

The upside of being down 


     In 1920 Dr. Frederick Banting’s clinic was a failure.  His dreams were shattered as his clinic faltered and closed in London, Ontario, Canada.  Desperate for an income, he became a part-time assistant to Professor Miller.  One night while helping prepare a lecture on diabetes for the professor, he got intrigued with an article on ‘The islets of Langerhans, which are regions of the pancreas that contains its endocrine.   Back then diabetes was fatal.   Scientist knew that people with diabetes needed a hormone secreted by the islets of Langerhans to balance their blood sugar but no way had been found to extract the hormone and give it to patients.    Banting was consumed with the thought that there must be a way to extract the hormone directly.   Compelled by this thought, he found a way to isolate it, which he later named “insulin,” Latin for “island.”   In 1922, after intense experimentation, a 64-pound dying teenage boy named Leonard was injected with insulin and immediately started gaining his weight back   Banting’s work saved this boy’s life and countless thousands of others in the years to come.   Looking back on his success, Banting said, “Had I not failed in my one year at London, I might never have started my research work.”

     As missionaries, we must put “failure” in Divine perspective.  There is an upside of being down.  As Paul declared in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9   We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  (NIV)  Nothing, absolutely nothing can rob our joy.   God has a plan.   Always.   Romans 8:28 clearing states, And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (NKJV)   Whatever you are facing today, please remember that it’s not the final chapter of your story.   Years from now, you may reflect on this very moment saying that it was the very catalyst that compelled you to your God-ordained destiny!    God is at work.   He is working out His purposes in your life.   Be encouraged!

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