AUGUST 21, Jeremiah 29:11

As Pete walked slowly along the beach near his home, his thoughts were dark. “I’m a nobody,” he said to himself, “Mom and Dad divorced, and I’m bad at schoolwork. I didn’t make it to the basketball team, and my teacher never chose me to be the class monitor.” Pete sighed and tried to hold back the tears as his thoughts ran on, “I can’t do anything right!”

Just then, an elderly man sitting near a bench caught Pete’s attention. “That’s Kok Leong’s grandpa,” thought Pete. I wonder where Kok Leong is. Pete watched the old man chip small bits from an old piece of driftwood. “What are you going to do with that?” Pete asked after a few minutes.

“Oh, I have great plans for this old piece of wood,” replied the man, “I’m carving a whale.” He picked up a simple but beautifully carved dolphin and handed it to Pete. “Here’s one I’ve done,” he added. “Wow!” exclaimed Pete. He held up the dolphin and then looked again at the wood the man was carving. “That driftwood you’re working on now is so old and… and dirty. It looks worthless!” added Pete, “How can something as cool as this come from junk like that?”

The man smiled. “It takes time, work, and skill to get rid of the dirt and make something beautiful out of the wood,” he said, “I carve it carefully, sand it, and polish it.” He turned the wood over in his hand as he peered closely at Pete. “This driftwood is something like me,” added the man.

“Like you?” asked Pete, “How’s that?” The man replied “There was a time when I felt worthless. In fact, even though I know better now, I still feel that way occasionally. Feel it too?” Pete nodded. “Well, we definitely aren’t worthless– not to God,” said the man, “In fact, He has plans for us! He can take poor, sinful creatures like us and make them into something beautiful. Have you asked God to do that for you?”

Pete shook his head and settled down on the sand at the man’s feet. He was eager to hear more about the plans God had for him.

Thought: Do you sometimes feel worthless, as if nothing you do is any good? As if you could never amount to anything important? Do not believe the lies that Satan is telling you!

Prayer: Father in Heaven, thank You for the reminder that You love me very much. In fact, You love me and the world so much that You gave Your only begotten Son to come and die in our place. What a wonderful God I have in You! How I praise and thank You! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.