Broken Ovens and Romans 11

My oven broke yesterday. I couldn't tell what was wrong at first, but when I preheated it to bake some chocolate chip cookies, it would only go up to about 220 degrees and then stop (it is an electric oven with a digital thermometer). I realized later that the bottom heating coil unit was broken in half. The top one was helping to get the oven warm, but it wasn't able to bring it all the way up to the temperature I wanted (plus, I think it was probably dangerous to keep operating it like that!). Well, Will ordered a new heating unit online which should come early next week.

The funny thing is that this is the week I had signed up to bring a meal to a friend who had a new baby (I planned and grocery shopped to bring a baked chicken dish), four dozen Christmas cookies for "Christmas in October" at church (I bought stuff to make peanut butter blossoms), and my grandma's baked apple bars for a bonfire on Saturday night. That's not to mention the chicken pot pie and other meals I had planned to feed my own family. : ) What a week for my oven to go!

I was reminded of a passage of scripture that was brought to my attention this past weekend--Romans 11:33-36, specifically verse 36, "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." (ESV)

This broken oven is FROM HIM.
I will be able to endure the broken oven THROUGH HIM.
The purpose of the broken oven is to bring glory TO HIM.

This verse can be applied to every situation I face...financial problems are from Him, bad health is from Him, the actions of evil people are from Him. The only way to handle the things He brings into my life is through His strength and power (see verses 33-35). Ultimately, He will use all things to bring glory to Himself.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

“For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Romans 11:33-36

Oh, and those chocolate chip cookies I mentioned at the very beginning...plenty of cookie dough is waiting at my house if you like it raw! My kids are sneaking into the fridge whenever they can. : )