our daily bread

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Dexu Xia

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Oct 24, 2017, 11:35:17 PM10/24/17

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Room 5020

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.

We can have confidence in our good and trustworthy God!

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!

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.

By God’s grace, we can have our best witness in the worst of times.

5020病房

从前你们的意思是要害我，但上帝的意思原是好的。-创世记50章20节

杰伊．巴夫顿（Jay Bufton）将他的病房变成了灯塔。

杰伊52岁、已婚、为人父，是中学老师和教练。他虽罹患癌症，不久人世，但他所住的5020病房，却成为家人、朋友和医护人员一盏希望的明灯。因为他喜乐洋溢，信心坚定，护士们都很喜欢照顾他，甚至还有人会在下班之后，再来看看他。

他原本健硕的运动员体格已日渐消瘦，但他还是笑容可掬地鼓励每一个人。一位朋友说：“每次见面，他都是积极乐观，充满盼望。他在面对癌症和死亡的困境中，活出美好的信仰。”

后来，在杰伊的丧礼上，一位讲员提到5020病房的特殊意义。他引用创世记50章20节，约瑟说他的哥哥们虽然卖他为奴，但上帝却化逆境为祝福，“保全许多人的性命”。虽然癌症侵害了杰伊的性命，但杰伊明白这是上帝的旨意，他也能说：“上帝的意思原是好的。”因此，杰伊能让癌症的肆虐为他开启传福音的大门。

杰伊所留下的是何等宝贵的典范，即使死亡来敲门，也不能撼动他对救主的信心！相信上帝的恩典和信实，至死不渝，这是何等美好的见证啊！

主啊，人生在世多苦难。求祢帮助我们，
对祢有充足的信心，看见祢掌管万有！
求祢让我们在困苦劳顿中，依然传讲祢的慈爱。