A Wondrous God

A week of struggling with a sinus infection, another week in doctoral classes, and I am back in the writing chair.

I am actually writing in the midst of a social methods and research class (bored) thinking of how God has and is answering prayer in my life. But I also write with a bit of mystery as to what is coming down my divine path.

When I travel I usually ask God to provide divine social encounters for me. It is my way of testing and affirming God's multitasking skills.

Deb and I were blessed to have some friends that drove down from Alpena, Michigan and who made the extra effort to pick us up at the airport in Chicago. On Sunday we met for a farewell luncheon and I was tasked to pick the restaurant. To go here…to go there…too many choices. I chose Red Lobster. I walked into the restaurant and who do I see? My aunt and uncle whom I have not seen for over seven years. I had just spoken of them before leaving Portland. I’m not a statistician but I think the probability extremely low of me living in the Portland area, flying home for a doctoral class, meeting friends from Alpena, and without expectation, being brought face to face with a beloved aunt and uncle, that by divine plan, I had thought about prior to coming.

I also look at my classmates and look at how God is answering prayer. One classmate and friend is a former missionary to China who is now in Jakarta, Indonesia. One classmate runs a seminary in Beijing and has been talking to me about the changes in China and working with Chinese Americans in Detroit. Another dear friend is from Chad and is in the States as a political refugee. 

I don’t know where these relationships will lead, but for me, it is evidence of God putting all these complicated human pieces together to form a divine plan. It strengthens my faith. When I pray I know that God will hear my prayer. It is a simple way that God displays his grace and his person to me.

I have yet to fly home at this point but I’m wondering what divine mystery is yet ahead of me. The open seat next to me or the wait in the airport, the person standing in the line for screening…who knows where these  relationships may lead. It certainly was a time where God displayed his sovereign hand in my life. I’m glad for the demonstration of the divine movement. It has created a stronger confidence that God has and will put me in the right place, at the right time, for the right divine purpose, to fulfill a particular plan. Oh…the wonder of God.