Labor Day

Labor Day is a federal holiday, set aside to honor the American worker. That's nice. But that's not what I remember it for. 26 years ago today 12-year old Cora Jones went for a bike ride and never came home.

26 years is a long time. The hurting subsides a bit but it's still there.

I remember walking through corn fields with hundreds of others as we searched for anything in hopes of finding her. I remember the ladies at the Parferyville Methodist Church with their Nescos, making food for all of the volunteers.

But the thing I remember most about that hopeless day was riding my bike on the road near our house, still looking, still hoping, but then stopping to yelling at God like it was all His fault.

I am reminded of Joseph. His siblings all hated him so they sold him into slavery in Egypt. That sounds bad on the surface but ultimately Joseph became the second most powerful man in Egypt and saved his brothers despite what they had done.
`
"But as for you, you meant evil against me (Joseph); but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive." - Genesis 50:20

Years later, after becoming a born-again believer in Jesus, I remember reading a book that suggested the biggest hurt in my heart would become my best ministry. What was the source of my biggest pain? Cora's death.

Cora loved Jesus. What better way to honor her, I thought, than by becoming a youth leader at the very church that Cora attended. So I did. And what a blessing that was!

God had taken the pain in my heart and replaced it with joy. That's what God does. He heals the brokenhearted. He takes away the pain and offers love and peace in its place.

So, today I remember Cora. Yes. But mostly I remember God and His endless supply of grace and mercy. He took this man's damaged heart and not only healed it but enlarged it.

He can do the same for you if you let Him. Ask God to heal your heart today.