"Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago." - Isaiah 25:1
I had a seminary professor, years ago, who constantly encouraged us to, as he called it, "attend". He said if we would just pay attention and reflect on the events of a day, then we'd constantly see how God had kind of orchestrated blessings throughout each day.
I don't remember if that professor was the reason that I started looking for "divinely orchestrated blessings," but I see them all the time, just like he said we would.
Actually, I see them all the time, just like God said we would. In today's verse, God speaks through Isaiah to say that God does "wonderful things, things planned long ago." (Isaiah 25:1)
For example, one time, in a way I couldn't explain, I had a strong feeling to gather my things at work in early afternoon and take them home to type up a number of reports for Wednesday appointments.
I never do that. Type at home, that is. It's just easier to type and print at church. But it's like I was literally being pushed through one door and into another.
So I get home, with all my stuff, to do things that I'd normally do at church. I sit down to get started.
And the doorbell rings.
I laughed. And I said in my heart, "Okay, Lord, so this is why I'm here."
I went to the door. Listened to the young man and his sales pitch. Offered him a water. He accepted. As I turned to get it, I invited him to step inside out of the heat. He stepped in, and I retrieved the water. As I handed it to him, I asked if he worshiped anyplace.
And the next thing ya know, I'm sharing the Gospel of God's unfailing love through Jesus and inviting him to worship. He said he'd never heard that the Gospel was about God's work for us and the wonderful life he's prepared for us, "things planned long ago." He'd always heard that Christianity was about trying to be good for God. And then he said he'd just started the job that day and now he knew why...because he and I were "supposed to meet" so that his life and approach to work could be changed. He even left, long after he'd stepped inside for water, saying he'd think about our talk as he went to other doors. And maybe he'd come to worship since he hadn't been to church in years.
I don't know if I'll ever see him again. We have talked since. But he's in God's hands, just like so many friends, who I met in the strangest way, where inexplicable things happened to create a meeting of new friends, where we all agree that God "arranged" an appointment that was "planned long ago," not dictating our lives, but doing things "in perfect faithfulness... wonderful things, things planned long ago" (Isaiah 25:1) to bring the blessing of friendships in God's love together.
Indeed, God is so good! Look for him, and you'll see!
Praise God!
Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson
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