When my brothers and I were young, we avidly collected chunks of mica
and pyrite. Because the minerals sparkled and were beautiful, we assumed
they were valuable. Pyrite is known as "fool’s gold", because its metallic
shimmer and gold colour resembles true gold. It was an exciting treasure
hunt for children to find these minerals and show them off, but we soon
found out they weren’t worth any money!
There are some wonderful lines in Shakespeare's play The Merchant of
Venice about fool's gold and the warning written on a tomb. (Act 2, Scene 7)
"All that glisters is not gold -- Often have you heard that told. Many a man
his life hath sold But my outside to behold. Gilded tombs do worms enfold".
In these troubling times of the pandemic, many are seriously concerned
about unstable international markets, dropping oil prices, shuttered small
businesses, and sudden unemployment. Our government is scrambling to find
ways to halt the freefall of the economy, and give subsidies for financial
relief of those experiencing hard times. It may be hard to see the hand of
God in times of hardship and worry.
"On the left hard when He is working, I do not behold Him; He turns to
the right hand, but I do not see Him. But He knows the way that I take; when
He has tried me, I shall come out as gold." (Job 23:9-10 ESV). Job had
suffered hardships as none of us will ever experience; loss of wealth, his
children, his health. Even when it seemed God had forgotten him, Job was a
true child of God, still longing for His presence, and confident that He was
still in charge. He had not forgotten Job, and wasn’t out to punish him. The
terrible trials had an end date, and God would bring good out of them all.
God still valued Job, for why else would he be put through fire, like gold,
if he wasn’t so loved and precious to Him?
Shirley Moulton
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
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The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.