Not God Sent, But God Used

You’ve heard the expression, “if you look up (such-n-such) in the dictionary, you’d find a picture of so-n-so.” I’m here to say if you looked up Genesis 50:20, you might see a picture of John Walsh. You may not be old enough to remember his story, but you’ve probably seen him on TV. In 1981, his son, Adam, was abducted from a mall in Florida and two weeks later, he was found murdered. Through his intense grief, John Walsh decided to make it his life’s mission to helping other families find closure and justice for their missing children. By hosting shows like America’s Most Wanted and his own show, In Pursuit with John Walsh, he has helped police track down many fugitives and solve many crimes.

Genesis 50:20, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Adam Walsh was found decapitated…that was no accident; obviously the man who murdered him was evil. But God took that heinous situation and gave John the courage to move on in a way not even he and his wife expected. Together, they helped pass legislation that led to the creation of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. He left his job and reluctantly accepted a role as the host for a new FOX TV show and the rest is history. God showed John Walsh his purpose through what he had probably considered his life’s biggest tragedy.

If we allow Him to, God can take the things that we see as permanent, life-altering mistakes or tragedies and give us purpose, destiny and hope. At the end of his shows, Walsh tells his viewers “You can make a difference.” I say to you, God put you on this earth for a reason and you can make a difference too. Don’t let your despair or disgrace stop you from finding and fulfilling your purpose.