Let the Lord work

Two weeks ago, one of our heating units in our preschool building quit. After a couple of service calls, the tech declared the unit beyond repair. Replacement was estimated to be about $13,000! Like most churches, we’re running lean these days. It seemed prudent to get other estimates on the replacement, but time was stretched thin by other demands. I handed the situation to the Lord in prayer, somewhat desperately.

Sure, it’s not earth-shaking, but I know He’s concerned about those things that concern me! He brought a man to my attention who was willing to invest time to work on a solution to the problem. Chris brought in another tech he knew who delved a little deeper into the unit. Yesterday, Matt and Chris reported that it’s working, that it can be repaired and most likely will give us another 5 years of service for about $2000. Once again, the Lord taught me a lesson in simple faith and patience.

The Lord tells us “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.” (Phil. 4:6 The Message) The invitation of the Lord is not to become childish, turning His promise into an excuse for apathy or failure to take responsibility. What He offers is counsel and care for us who are His beloved children! He offers to share our burden, to make a way through, around, under, or over our situation if we’ll walk faithfully with Him. The key to living in His care is faith that is active all of the time. If we ignore His counsel and walk willfully far from Him, we cannot expect that He will step in and remove the consequences of our sin or silliness.

However, when we are steady in faith, responsive to Him on a daily basis, and circumstances overtake us for which we lack resources, He is there. His solution may not be what we ask for or expect. When our heating unit went down and I prayed about it, what I expected was that He would send a donor to cover the expense! I had no idea that He was already working out another plan. What I knew from experience was that He had an answer for our need and I was willing (with some complaining, I admit) to trust Him even with this mundane problem.

What are you wrestling with today, disciple?
It may be much more significant in the scheme of things than a broken furnace! Maybe you have a heart that crushed with disappointment. He’s the healer of broken hearts. Maybe you’re confronted with temptation to sin that threatens ‘like a roaring lion.’ He’s the Deliverer who equips you with the soul armor of the Spirit. Perhaps you’re looking into the future without hope. He is our Hope- in life and death- the One who knows all our tomorrows!

As Advent draws to a close, bring to conscious memory the Incarnation, God becoming flesh. We are celebrating the fact that God stepped into His Creation, becoming a Man, named Jesus. He did not hold Himself apart. He entered into our world. “When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process.” (Phil 2:7–8 The Message) He did this so that we could trust Him to be our Priest and Advocate. He takes away our sin and carries our burden, knowing our temptations and challenges.

Will you let the Lord work?
Here’s a word from the Word. It is great counsel. Believe it and live in the promise.
“Trust in the LORD and do good; …
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”
(Psalm 37:3–6, NIV)