God's Orchestrated Unexpected Directions

       

      The family was certain they wanted to move out West.  They’d waited, planned and finally the move was made.  Then health problems turned the idea inside out and they were left wondering how they would ever figure out how to make it all work.  As God would have it, he provided a single stranger in a parking lot for a general conversation that led to a possible buyer for their home on which they hadn’t even put on the market yet.

Time passed and God stepped in again.  The woman from the parking lot contacted the family with an offer that astounded them.  She absolutely wanted to buy their home; and add to that God even provided help in the most unlikely way for loading the heavy furniture and things in the house.  This was again, a ‘God thing!’

There’s a song that says, “But God.”  The first time I heard it, I was moved to tears.  God has a way of arriving at just the right moments, in ways we couldn’t have imagined, and way beyond our expectations.  God places people in our lives at just the right time.  The woman in the parking lot was beyond odd.  Was she supposed to be there?  Apparently yes!  God wanted the conversation between the two women to happen.  He sent her there to meet a need.

It’s interesting; we read God’s Word and know God worked miracles for the Israelites as they journeyed for forty years in the desert; we read how Jesus healed the lame, gave sight to the blind mind, healed people from leprosy and even brought Lazarus back to life.  Yet do we believe in miracles in our own modern day lives?

Some believe God doesn’t perform miracles anymore.  That was only done during Bible times.  I totally and completely disagree.  When I see the birth of a new baby, the miracle of love that grows into a strong marriage, waking to the sun shining in the morning—- (or any weather!), for the gift of sight and hearing and even thinking, I see God’s miracles.  But to see God work through healing and his provisions, I also see miracles; sometimes very substantial ones, others a little more subtle, but no less God!

The greatest miracle was Jesus rising from the dead after taking on the sins of the world, providing the way for salvation!  This is the greatest gift of all.  God orchestrated the birth of Baby Jesus and took his life, and therefore ours, in directions we often don’t expect.  Let’s face it, when we accept Christ and give our lives totally to him, we often change directions from where we were headed when we follow his will.  This too, is another miracle.  A changed life. God is the best orchestrator ever and I am eternally grateful!

I wonder, when was the last time you paused and reflected on the miracles in your life?  Can you see his ‘thumbprint’ on your career, ministry, marriage or in the lives of your children?  Has he made provisions when there seemed to be no possible way for things to work out?  Aren’t each of these uniquely miracles?  God has a way of orchestrating unexpected directions in our very modern lives.  It’s up to us to pause long enough to recognize them and...... thank him!