Last night, we had a parent meeting at our children's school. The purpose of the meeting was to receive further information regarding a financial situation that has arisen due to the planned sale of the land our school is on. In order to grow, move forward and become increasingly established, our school has decided to enter into an agreement to purchase the land and facility. These are all good things. However, the responsibility of the parents is to provide a serious portion of the down payment for the purchase of this land. Without getting into further detail, there were some parents, who, understandably, were deeply concerned about the affordability of this project. Tony and I were two of them.
Let me say that 5 years ago (maybe even 2 years ago ...) Tony and I would have reacted with negativity, bitterness, jealousy and judgement to the dismal outlook of being able to afford what was being asked of us. It is a wonderful encouragement when you can look back on the person you used to be and praise the Lord for the way He has softened and changed our hearts - for the way He has created spiritual fruit in Your life that wasn't there before.
There were some parents last night who did react in fear - and I felt sympathetic to them. Yet, because Tony and I had not chosen to just react to the circumstance we were facing, but spent the Christmas holidays praying and seeking God, when the time came, we had such a peace about the whole situation we were actually surprised. God is faithful and as we sought His direction and guidance, His will became clear.
First, we spent time seeking his will. We questioned whether or not the Lord wanted our children at this particular school. It is a Christian school and we are thankful that our children are being fed with God's Word everyday, but we honestly let go of thinking that this was the only option available to us. Maybe God wanted us to place our children in a Spanish emersion school? Who knows? He does ... After discussing options, Tony and I each retreated into our own thoughts and spent days seeking God in our own way about His will. When the subject came up again, it was affirmed. Neither of us WANTED our children anywhere else. Our desires were steadfast and we were in agreement. Now what?
The next step was to see if what we desired was in line with God's will. We considered the financial provision for our family to be an answer and if that were to work out, it would be the confirmation of God's plan. In it all, we truly let the results be in God's hands. God has moved us before (recently, actually :0) from our home church and from our home neighbourhood - we have experienced change in huge ways and learned a lot about the process and the way that God can and does work out the details. We have learned, in very small ways, to trust God everyday. It's these moments that build the foundation of our faith so that when we are faced with a seemingly big circumstance, we can remember our trustworthy Lord and remain immovable in our faith.
God has confirmed our desires. Our finances HAVE worked out. There was some re-thinking about priorities and perspectives (yes, we can survive with an unfinished basement for a little while longer :0) and best of all we have a great peace in knowing that God's will is being fulfilled in our lives and the lives of our children. We are excited to see what is to come ...
I awoke this morning with optimism and thankfulness and sought the Lord early. The children and I prayed on the way to school and thanked God for His mercy and His grace and looked forward to the beginning of a new day and sung a song of rejoicing while we enjoyed the beautiful sky and majestic mountains. God whispered to my heart, "Are you reacting or are you responding?" I immediately thought of my friend Dawn and rejoiced again at how she had responded to the Lord in faith during a recent trial. I called her to share with her what God had been up to with me and the children this morning and we began our day with a smile and a light heart. Later, I remembered a quote from my father (not sure if it's an original or on loan ...) It reads, "Do not react, but rather, observe and respond in time." I found that a profound thought and it helped me to focus my attention on my own behaviours; questioning my perspectives during times of trial. I would like to expand this line of thinking with my own faith-based perspective ... "Do not react to the 'whats' of life but rather, learn to trust and respond TO the Lord". Hmmmm ... carying on ....
I was in a rather playful mood this morning and decided to phone my friend Terry to see if I could catch her sleeping and wake her up. (It's one of my favourite things to do! I never realized how much fun it is!)
I didn't get quite the response I had thought - Terry had already tried to call me at home as she and her husband had been up most of the night concerned and praying for a friend from church who had been admitted to the hospital with flesh eating disease. It had been a sudden and serious condition that shocked not only his wife and daughters, but the entire church family. He is still in hospital and we are all waiting to hear good news in hope and faith.
After experiencing such an elation and joyfulness in my heart for the way God has moved me to respond to Him in faith, receiving the life or death news of a cherished member of the church family left me shaking my head. And yet, it also seemed obvious what I needed to do - even though, in this circumstance, the temptation to react with fear was overwhelming simple. Fear is not even unexpected ... this was and is a seriously critical medical situation that has, by precedent, led to a commonly pessimistic prognosis. Nevertheless, I did not give attention to any feeling of feer our doubt on this day. In a moment of faith, I did not consider nor question God's intentions - I only prayed and let go.
What came to my mind was the story of Lazarus and how his sister had cried out to Jesus when she met him on the path, coming to her house. "If You had only been here," she said, "my brother would still be alive." What did Jesus do? Did he rebuke her as he did the Pharisees? Did he become angry as he did with the merchants at the temple? No. He wept.
He had compassion for the family and he wept. It was then that He called Lazarus from the tomb. It was this passage of scripture that I prayed today for this kind and generous husband, father and brother in faith to so many.
Would you pray with me? Would you respond, in faith, to a call to share in this family's trial by praying with them in the Name of Jesus?
Father, we come boldy to Your throne of grace. We share in this family's crisis and together respond with faith and hope. We believe that You are able to do as you did with Lazarus. You, who are our "strength and shield", You who are "faithful to all Your promises and loving to all You have made," we trust in You, O God. Lord, until you so choose to bring this man to Your heavenly dwelling, we pray with steadfast hearts that You would allow this man, who has given his life in devotion and worship to You - lovingly and cheerfully, to be healed completely and rejoice in Your mercy. We ask it in the Name of our Saviour, our Healer, our Redeemer and friend, Jesus the Christ.
Come what may, our Father, we pray, Your gracious, merciful and perfect will be done. We stand together, as One Body, One Blood, One Church, In Jesus' Name - on behalf of our brother in his time of need and bring him boldy to Your throne, that you may restore full health and that he may continue to serve you and proclaim Your greatness, even unto the ends of the earth - for the furthering of Your kingdom, according to Your desire, according to Your plan. Lord, hear our prayer, Amen.
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