This is a Test
While we never really know what God has in store for us when we are at home or on a trip, we can be sure that, if we are “looking”, He will always offer an opportunity for us to share in His Kingdom. The “test” for us is how and if we will respond to the Lord’s invitation to join Him.
Two opportunities opened up when we decided to head to the “sunny South” during the last weekend of Spring Break, hoping to enjoy some real nice Florida weather. With mild temperatures and a cool breeze, the only thing enjoyable on the beach was watching the seagulls do “air acrobatics” overhead.
The first opportunity to join God was when my daughter, who is finishing her freshman year in college, had a paper to write on the topic of “obedience and authority”. She chose to apply this topic to “marriage” and the relationship between husband and wife.
I suggested that we look at the biblical example from Genesis to see what God had intended from the beginning. Surprisingly, my daughter agreed. In fact, the entire foundation was based on scripture. She had to use secular sources as well to show historical facts. But it was obvious that the Lord orchestrated the paper from beginning to end. In fact, my daughter had found another scripture to use in her last paragraph – Proverbs 31! So, miracle number one was a total blessing.
The second opportunity came on Sunday morning in the lobby of the hotel where we stayed. It was very crowded with people grabbing breakfast, so I sat away from the crowd to enjoy my coffee before the family came down to join me. “It just so happened” that a black man was sitting on a couch across from me and reading what looked like a Bible (you can never be too sure these days). Another man joined him and they started talking about what the first man had been reading. I was sort of minding my own business, but the Lord had other plans. He distinctly told me to ask the men if they were having “church”. So, I did what any rational person would do and got up to get some more coffee! I almost failed this “test”. However, the Lord’s prompting was stronger than the caffeine, and I made my way back to the sitting area and asked the men if they were having “church”. I think it shocked them, but in short order, I did find out that the first man was a pastor and had been reading in Matthew 5 (Jesus’ sermon on the mount). We discussed the “new” concept of church not being in a building and also about the walls between races coming down. Eventually, my husband and children joined me and we continued the conversation. Yet, God was in the midst of us and we were in the midst of all those people within earshot of His Word.
The “test” is still the same: will I listen and follow through with God’s promptings or go get more coffee? The Lord sure seems to be giving me some cool assignments and I really can’t wait to see what happens next.
