A Chance Encounter?

Note: Another FICTION story using these words provided by one of my grandsons:

Noun-duck

Adjective-slimy

Adverb-quickly

Verb-jump

Career-seminary professor

Abstract-hope

Color-indigo

Evan eased his lanky frame onto a park bench to watch the ducks glide serenely and seemingly effortlessly across the pond. Sometimes they disappeared into the murky water and reappeared, holding a slimy “something” in their beaks. He enjoyed watching them, as well as feeling the gentle breeze rearranging his wavy hair. Being so chillaxed, he startled when someone sat down beside him. 

When he and the young woman occasionally caught each other stealing a glimpse of the other, both blushed before she looked away. But one time, she held her gaze, her blue eyes looking even bluer because of the indigo jogging suit she wore.

Smiling, she said, “Do you come here often?”

“Sure,” he said. “I work near here.”

“Where?”

“At Union Theological School.”

“ What do you do there?”

“I’m a seminary professor.”

“You can’t be," she spluttered. "You’re too young!”

He grinned. “Well, I’ve known since I was twelve that God wanted me to know His Word and teach it to others, so I just jumped right into that. After I graduated college, I enrolled at Union and did so well there that the administration asked me to serve on the faculty.”

She lowered her eyes. “I wish my path had been made that clear. I’m still struggling.”

“Have you asked God to reveal His will for your life?”

“Many times. But I’ve given up hope that He will.”

“No. No. What God said a long time ago is still true—and true for you, too.”

Sensing her eagerness to know more, Evan seized the opportunity to quote Jeremiah 29:11 to her. “For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Then Evan added, “You can be sure of that.”

“Thank you for encouraging me. Maybe even this chance meeting is part of God's good plan?”

Evan nodded. “Nothing happens by accident. God uses all our experiences for His glory and our good.”

“I have to go now,” she said, “but could we meet again to talk more about this?”

“I’m available after 3 most days—and my time is God’s time.”

“Well, how about we meet right here tomorrow at five?”

“Certainly. If you’d like, we can walk around the pond as we talk.”

Evan watched her until she disappeared from sight, confident that she, like the ducks, would reappear--which would definitely delight him.

Purposes

A ship is safe in the harbor, 

but that is NOT what it was built for.

The thought above is attributed to various people, including Theodore Roosevelt, John Augustus Shedd, and Theodore Roosevelt. Regardless of the source of that sentence, it is, indeed, a true one.

We, like boats, have been created for a purpose. For example, God said to His people through His prophet, Jeremiah," For I know the plans I have for you...They are plans for good and not for disaster,to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11, NLT).

And to Pharaoh, ruler of Egypt many centuries ago, God said, "I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying My power in you and to spread My fame throughout the earth" (See Exodus 9:16 and Romans 9:17.) 

According to Acts 13:36, "When King David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he died..."

God has purposes not only for royalty but also for everyone else. For example, Ephesians 2:10 says: "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned in advance as our way of life." 

While reflecting on the above, I recalled the song, "Take My Life, Lead Me, Lord," which was written by R. Maines Rawls in 1968. As I read all the words in the song, I noticed that all the requests (take my life; teach me, Lord; send me, Lord; etc.) were made for this purpose: "Make my life useful to Thee."

Oh, Dear Reader, may you and I be willing to let God use us according to His plans and purposes!

Well-Crafted Stories

When a friend asked me to read the first three chapters (and the synopsis) of a fiction book she was writing, I gladly agreed. One morning I curled up with the 40+ pages and enjoyed a “good read.” Because I liked the two main characters she’d created and cheered for them as they grappled with painful emotions of the present (and the past), I was sorry when I reached the end of chapter three. I wanted MORE details about about how they’d find the true bliss I knew (from reading the synopsis) the author had planned for them. 

As I read my friend’s book, I recalled how much I’d enjoyed my few (and feeble) attempts at writing fiction. It’s really fun to bring characters to life and to choose what happens to them. I do a similar kind of thing when I create images with my camera. I get to choose what goes into the frame—and what doesn't.

God does that same kind of thing—only in a far, far greater way. As Max Lucado points out in his excellent book, When God’s Story Becomes Your Story, each life is “a crafted narrative written by a good God who is working toward your supreme good.”

God’s already written the book of my life—and yours, Dear Reader! We’ll just have to wait to “read” the remaining chapters!

This Is My Doing!

When I read the Feb. 1^st devotional in Streams in the Desert, I had a hard time wrapping my mind around the truth found in the Scripture reading for the day: “This is my doing” (I Kings 12:24). In my heart of hearts, I knew what God had said was true, absolutely true. Yet, I questioned it.

In an effort to “prove” my case, I began to recall various verses that say, in essence, God loves His children and blesses them in innumerable ways. For example: Jeremiah 29:11, ESV: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

But as I struggled to understand (and accept!) the truth, I also recalled verses that tell how God is with us as we go through difficulties. For instance, many centuries ago, God made this promise to His children: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. ²When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. ³For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior” (Isaiah 43:1b-3a, ESV, emphasis added).

I began to understand that God does allow certain things to come our way, things that, from our perspective, seem unfair or unloving. Yet, He has a purpose in each difficulty, in each pathway of pain, even if we can’t understand what it is or why He has allowed it.  

Dear Reader, as you and I look at each painful situation, at each stressful circumstance, at each long delay, at whatever strikes fear in our hearts, at…, may we learn to accept the fact that each one is from God and that He is using it and is causing all things (the difficulties as well as the delights) to work together for our good and His glory. (See Romans 8:28.) May we cling to this truth: “Whether He spare or share, He will be there.”