"God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,' and the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour,' so that all men he has made may know his work, he stops every man's labor." (Job 37:5-7)
Moving to a new house and ministry often means getting rid of things that unfortunately you'll have to buy when you get there. There is just so much room on the moving truck (that you want to pay for). And just as unfortunate is the fact that you'll have to practically give it away at some community garage sale and spend ten times as much on the almost brand new thing you bought two years ago that still has the price sticker stuck to it. Such is life.
We are getting some new patio furniture for our outdoor deck space this week. For the last number of weeks its been in the nice, warm, 50's and 60's, even bumping into the 70's at times. Tonight (Tuesday) we are expecting 1-3 inches of snow. Ughhhhhh.... One step forward, two steps back. But fortunately, it won't stay long because the freezing rain will follow along with a tornado, a hurricane, and flash flooding...and a tsunami. Pessimist. Climate change. Those darn cows passing dangerous levels of methane and carbon gases, ruining our protective environmental canopy. Is there such a thing as bovine Gas-X? Perhaps a business opportunity here.
But as my church family has reminded me, "Back here in Indiana you don't want to plant anything until after May 15th." Noted.
Patio furniture and my newly planted hardy mums aside, I was once again forced to reconcile my desires with a God who is perfectly wise and perfectly good and perfectly loving. Forced because I received a call last week from a good friend who said his dear wife found out that she has breast cancer in both breasts. Radical surgery required. I found out this week that a former colleague's teenage son went home to be with the Lord - a heart issue from birth. In the last three or four months I have been asked to pray for brothers and sisters who were diagnosed with differing cancers, with ALS, with MS, with Covid,...snowstorms and downpours.
We can't change what the weather will do but we can go to the God of the weather. Next time it thunders think about the marvelous voice of God. The next time is snows in April or even May be reminded that its God's witness to His presence. Stop for a moment, as the text says, and know that God is at work.
My patio furniture just arrived - early. Hope.
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