ODB Message
“Room 5020”
By
Dave Branon
You intended
to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done.
Genesis 50:20
Jay Bufton turned his hospital room into a lighthouse.
The fifty-two-year-old husband, father, high school
teacher, and coach was dying of cancer, but his room—Room 5020—became a beacon
of hope for friends, family, and hospital workers. Because of his joyful
attitude and strong faith, nurses wanted to be assigned to Jay. Some even came
to see him during off-hours.
Even as his once-athletic body was wasting away, he
greeted anyone and everyone with a smile and encouragement. One friend said,
“Every time I visited Jay he was upbeat, positive, and filled with hope. He
was, even while looking cancer and death in the face, living out his faith.”
At Jay’s funeral, one speaker noted that Room 5020 had
a special meaning. He pointed to Genesis 50:20, in which Joseph says that although
his brothers sold him into slavery, God turned the tables and accomplished
something good: “the saving of many lives.” Cancer invaded Jay’s life, but by
recognizing God’s hand at work Jay could say that “God intended it for good.”
That’s why Jay could use even the ravages of cancer as an open door to tell
others about Jesus.
What a legacy of unwavering trust in our Savior even
as death was knocking at the door! What a testimony of confidence in our good
and trustworthy God!
Let’s Pray-
Lord, difficult
things come into our lives so often. Please help us to trust You enough to see
that nothing is beyond Your control. Help us to tell of Your love even in the
tough times.
Our Charge-
By God’s
grace, we can have our best witness in the worst of times.
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