Maybe you are like me; I have several open thoughts running in my head about God and the way He works at any one time. I have been pondering over the past weeks how God is working even when we do not see it. Let me share a personal example and a Biblical one to encourage you that God is working in your situation.
Life has been busy at our church and busy for me. We have been developing property for our future church home over the last five years. Most recently I ran into a couple, that left our church several years ago, while I was at a local big box store picking up stuff for the property. Our conversation, after hugs, turned to the progress of the property. The progress of the site development has generated a lot of interest in our community. They had also noticed.
I had a chance to say “Thank You” for a part that they played in making the progress of today possible. You see six year ago, before we even purchased the property, an opportunity to rezone our old office building came up at the last minute. It was something that I had been interested in and praying about. The problem was we did not have the funds for the permit. This couple provided the funds. God would then do a miracle in getting our office building rezoned commercial. Here is the goose bumps part- Their generous gift that funded the rezoning resulted in the sale of the building just over a year ago. The sale of the building funded the cost for all the sight work done over this past year! Six years earlier what we did not see was that God was already laying the foundation for a permanent facility for our church! I wonder how often we too miss that God is working through the difficult and trying times that seem to us to be going backwards.
This morning my Bible reading took me through Genesis 45, which is the account of Joseph’s, Egypt’s second in command, encounter with his brothers. Now, he had every reason to be bitter for being robbed of his youth, sold into slavery, and for all the other bad things that happened in his life. Yet, when he finally reveals himself to his brothers he offers these words of encouragement. “And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God.” (Genesis 45:7–8a) Joseph got it. The time he least expected the Lord’s presence and working. He was working. I am reminded of a verse that my mother in law had on pre-printed labels that we attached to all letters. “The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” (Deuteronomy 33:27a)
I don’t know where you are right now, but I know that it is hard to see God’s working in those difficult or frustrating times of life. There are those times that life is mundane and nothing seems to be happening. But let us be reminded that God is Working!
-Pastor Joe Parkinson