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Pit or University?
Romans 8:28 'And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.' (NIV)
 There can be very few more momentous or moving things in life than walking in the footsteps of your heroes, visiting the places that shaped their destinies and where they shaped the destinies of nations. For me, one of these magic moments occurred just off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa, when I visited the infamous Robben Island. This was the desolate place that for many years housed one of the icons of our time, Nelson Mandela. It was here that the future president of South Africa was incarcerated for 18 years of his 27 years in prison. When Mandela and his co-trialists first set foot on Robben Island, these urbane and educated men were not allowed to wear long trousers and were given no underwear or socks. They were forced to sleep on thin rope mats in tiny cells and were allowed one short letter every six months and one short family visit every six months. They were forced to work in a local limestone quarry, doing labour that had no purpose whatsoever -- the limestone they quarried had no practical use. When he arrived, Mandela found that most of the younger prisoners had enjoyed no more than a 12-year-old's standard of education. So he made a pronouncement: 'We must turn this quarry into a university.' Thereafter, in the limestone pits, the more learned prisoners would school the less educated. Years later, many prisoners gained degrees and post-graduate degrees. Their prison had indeed become their university. You may be facing limestone walls today; you may be struggling along inside a pit. But God can even turn that to your good. Let him make your quarry into your university.
Prayer: 'Thank you that you work all things together for my good, Lord. Please turn my limestone quarry into my university. Teach me here what I could learn nowhere else -- so that I can make you famous.'
© 2003-2004 Mal Fletcher
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