The mystery of the Rye.

Ecclesiastes 8:6 (ESV)

For there is a time and a way for everything, although man's trouble lies heavy on him.

One day in 1850, a Christian farmer started for the mill at Rockland, Rhode Island, with a bag of rye to be ground into flour for the family bread. On the way the old family horse unaccountably balked on a bridge over a stream, and began to turn and back up. He kept on till the rear wheels of the wagon went over the log guard along the edge of the planks. The farmer jumped out, the horse stood still, and the farmer held the front wheels caught on the log guard, so that the wagon did not go over, but the contents were thrown into the water. Neighbors helped to right the wagon and the rye was fished out.

There was a mystery about the accident. The horse had showed no signs of fear and had never acted this way before. The farmer was puzzled. He had earnestly prayed, only that morning that the angel of the Lord would protect them that day and here was this unexplained accident.

The farmer returned home and went to work to dry the grain and prepare it for grinding. When he spread out the rye on a cloth in the sun to dry, he noticed, scattered through it all, fragments of a fine glittering substance, which on examination, proved to be glass. Thousands upon thousands of fine fragments mingled with those two bushels of rye -- enough to cause the death of all the family if the grain had been ground and baked and eaten. He was amazed at this discovery and with grateful heart he knelt with his family and thanked God for His wonderful providence which had so strangely saved their lives.

They found on investigation that the rye had been kept for a time in an open barrel and that above it workmen had been smoothing ax handles, using pieces of glass to scrape and polish the wood. In this way particles of glass had been ground off and had fallen down into the rye. This was unnoticed when the grain was emptied into the sack to be taken to the mill. We don’t always understand how God works but He is always working and taking care of us.

Dear Lord, thank You for always being there and working in ways we don’t always see or understand. Help us put our full trust in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.