God's Beauty in His Plan

 

[God answered Job] “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb, when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors, and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?” (Job 38:4-11 ESV).

 

I often stop at the buildings in Cades Cove. The one pictured here is the Henry Whitehead Place, named after Henry Whitehead, a talented carpenter, married Matilda Shields Gregory. Matilda’s previous marriage did not last, as her husband, Ebenezer, deserted her and their young son, Josiah. As a result, Matilda had to raise their son on her own and do so without a home. Her brothers and the community stepped in to help her by quickly building a functional cabin in 1881 (smaller structure at the rear of the main cabin). Even with its rushed construction, including roughly cut logs and a rubble stone chimney, Matilda was supposedly grateful for her new house. A few years later, Matilda met Henry. The two courted and eventually married in 1887, and Henry assured his new wife that she would have a much better home to live in.

 

With his carpentry skills, Henry decided to make a 16-foot by 18-foot sawn log cabin for their family. The construction of the cabin included 4-inch walls made from thick logs, making it well-insulated. Henry also constructed a brick chimney for the home. Most homes had rubble chimneys like that of Matilda’s first home, as having a brick chimney was a rare amenity for Cades Cove cabins at the time. A cool fact about the chimney of the new cabin is that Henry made his own bricks from scratch! As a final touch, Henry even went on to join both the new and old homes with a covered walkway. By 1898, Matilda and the rest of the Whitehead family had a beautiful cabin that outshined her previous home. In turn, the Henry Whitehead Place in Cades Cove eventually paved the way for the look of future cabins built in the community.

 

In our reading today, Job is questioning God. He certainly may be seen as someone who had reason to do so. However, God’s answer to him was something of a surprise. God tells him that he had no way of fully understanding all of what He was doing in his life. Like all of God’s work, we often don’t understand the full plan of God in our lives. However, we do know the “Who” of the plan. God is good and desires only good for His children.

 

Some may have lamented the “fate” of Matilda Shields Gregory after her husband deserted her and all she had was a small hastily constructed cabin to raise her son in. Little did they know the final outcome that would come to her through meeting Henry Whitehead. If we simply look at our circumstance now, we will surely miss the final outcome prepared for us through Jesus!