Finding God in ordinary places Part 6
- Part 1: Finding God in Ordinary Places
- Part 2: Think of These Things
- Part 3: Searching the Heart
- Part 4: Failure and Forgiveness
- Part 5: Hearing His Voice
- Part 6: Meeting God at Church
- Part 7: God at Work
- Part 8: I Know God Cares
I am sure that Satan often saves his best offensive moves for Sundays, especially on the way to church. This particular Sunday, my kids who usually behave pretty well in the car, were bickering. I don’t know who was touching who but it was obviously a problem. Add to that I have these unwanted thoughts running through my head. How many years had it been since God had told me to stay with my husband? How many years had I been praying and praying for him?
It was a lot of years, a long time to wait, and I was not seeing God at work in my husband. He had not drawn close to Christ. He still had no interest in church. I could not see God making any inroads in his life.
So I did a foolish thing. I decided God could never reach my guy. You know, the God of whom the Bible tells us in Matthew, ‘With God all things are possible’.
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26
I was discouraged and decided he was too hard a nut for God to crack.
I parked the car in the church parking lot and my three kids and I walked up to the church door. Before I got through the door, God spoke to my heart. It was like walking into a wall. God brought me up short, like he was right in front of me. He chided me for not believing in him, in his power. I couldn’t argue. He was right. My previous experiences had taught me God was there. Beyond all shadow of doubt, I knew he existed and I knew he loved me. I was just not convinced he had the power to reach my husband.
Pastor Joe was to preach that morning. He had a past, one that he was ashamed of. Although he had come to Christ and his sins were forgiven, he struggled with his worthiness to be in the pulpit. I found him to be a humble man and not one to take risks, especially in public. That morning before he began his sermon, he walked off the platform and stood on the floor at the front of the church. He said God had spoken to him and there was somebody in the congregation that was struggling with unbelief. He wanted that person to come forward for prayer.
I was stunned, first because Pastor Joe had stepped out way beyond his comfort zone and second that God would call me to the front of the church like that. I went forward. I cannot imagine how the pastor would have felt if I had left him high and dry. Nor could I imagine not obeying the creator of the universe.
Pastor Joe prayed and I knew for certain that God would indeed reach my husband. I never doubted that again. There was no way God would call me up in front of a church load of people and not follow through. I imagine there was a growth moment for Pastor Joe as well.
To grow in Christ, to be well, I need to take each step and cross each hurdle that God allows to be in my way. I need to listen to him, whether through scripture or hearing his voice deep within my soul. I can not grow if I do not obey when he prompts and directs me.
I am meeting God in the most unusual ways and often in the most common places. It is in these places that I am discovering the wonder of God!
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