“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive” ~ Genesis 50:20

My life is very busy and an alternating door of obligations. Many around the world can relate to this statement.

I wear many “hats.” Some see me as a science teacher, others see me as a pastor, still yet some see me as a husband of my wife. Some call me “coach” and some don’t know my name, but they see me out in public every once in a while. I stay busy, but the good Lord knows, I like to relax too.

Sometimes when I relax I consider myself an “occasional artist.” I place high emphasis on “occasional” and less on the “artist.” I enjoy writing poetry, hymns, devotionals, and sometimes I dabble with drawing.

Recently I was relaxing and sketching a picture that I envisioned in my mind. This picture was an attempt to convey how I felt through a landscape portrait. I sketched dark clouds with the sun peaking through over a serene field. Although the sketch was supposed to be a bit more melancholy it turned out looking very dark.

So I laid it aside and figured that was enough relaxation.

A few days later I was walking through the house and I noticed the picture again. Wanting a second look, I picked it up and it looked entirely different than what I had drawn, and for good reason- It was upside down.

But it didn’t look bad. As a matter of fact, it look better than what I had drawn as if someone had snuck into my home just to fix my artwork. But then I realized, the reason it looked better was the original picture loaded the top of sketch with darkness. However, when flipping the landscape over, the clouds turned to mountains with a big beautiful sky peeking through.

What I had intended to portray as a solemn, melancholy sky became an immense landscape of beauty, optimism, and hope of a great future!

This reminded me of the story of Joseph in Genesis, whereas his life was full of trouble and uncertainty but God divinely carved out a path for Joseph that propped the rest of history to usher in Christ the Savior. This is reflected in the opening verse.

God has sovereignty over the world as Solomon teaches in Ecclesiastes 3:11, “He hath made every thing beautiful in his time…” I put strong emphasis on the phrase “his time.” Additionally, as the familiar verse Romans 8:28 teaches, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” The “good” in this verse is not of our own definition but is defined by the good that only the will of God can bring about.

Your reality may be dark clouds, but simultaneously could be flipped through investing in a Biblical perspective. You may be under clouds, but God has lifted you above the mountains by the work of The Great Artist, Jesus Christ.