Greater than a Sparrow
When you can't see it, it's difficult to believe. When it feels uncertain it's hard to put your trust in it. When pain lingers and struggles overwhelm you; it is easy to doubt an existence of goodness.
This week while waiting for my hubby to get off work I turned on the radio in the car to hear the song, Sparrows by Jason Gray. What happened next some might say was pure coincidence. I opened my bible app to read the "verse of the day." It read Matthew 6:34, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." I mean, wow! The song itself says, "You can't add a single day by worrying," which is a line straight out of Matthew 6:27.
This past week has been something straight out of the Twilight Zone, if I believed in that. But fortunately, I know that all the circumstance and coincidence truly are part of a greater picture. Two weeks ago, we received from our landlord a 'Notice of Termination' effective immediately. We are attempting to be packed and out of this house and into a new house by Halloween. And if you're counting that's a total of 17 days. We didn't even know where we were going to live 5 days ago!
Obviously, getting this news via email & text message began to make me worry. I felt some anxiety, some stress. My baby was about to have a birthday party. We had just bought two new couches. We are comfortable where we are. I just decorated for Halloween. I had a laundry list of reasons to harden my heart and make myself bitter.
However, instead of running to people who I knew would only encourage my anger and join in my pity, I called out to community. Community to a person who believes in Jesus should simply look like a group of people who are also believers, who are secure in their faith and will spur you on or admonish you accordingly.
We were overwhelmed with graciousness. By 7pm that night, only 12 hours from learning the news, we had already received contact info to a realtor, dozens of moving boxes, financial means to obtain a moving truck, offers to help with kids and packing as well as extended prayers. While I did not call out to God right away and my first instinct was to call my dad and rant some more, I saw very quickly that the Lord cares greatly for His children.
We have since looked at houses and began the application process on one only to learn they were accepting another tenant. After much prayer, we decided to continue looking. I was beginning to turn into a nervous wreck again. Ok, God! If you are so good and so big then prove to me that you got this. And sure enough the potential tenants chose a different route.
Do not hear me say that trusting in Jesus makes your life easy or smooth. You will surely have trouble in this world but be reminded that He has overcome the world (John 16:33). Trusting God's provisions for my life has not been easy and at times there has been very little trust. I know this chapter in our lives doesn't look ideal from the outside but that doesn't mean God isn't good or fair or just. His plans do not always match our own. They are greater than our wildest dreams.
