How well and how often do we see the hand of God on our lives? Do we notice evidence of His daily provision and rejoice in His goodness to us? Our days are so filled with activity that we miss recognizing how the Lord has orchestrated each moment according to His plan.
The Psalmist David reflects on the many and numerous wonderful things the Lord does for us. We may read those words and question, "many"? "Numerous"? Really? Our lives may feel deficient of that extreme quantity. It is not that we are lacking; it is that we aren't looking.
Reflect back over the last 24 hours. At any point did you pause and consider what God was doing at that very moment on your behalf? Do you miss crediting the Lord, regarding circumstances as coincidental? I personally hate the word "coincidence". That word is defined as "a remarkable concurrence of events without apparent causal connection." Its synonyms are words like fate, destiny, accident and chance. It dismisses the sovereignty of God overseeing everything that touches our lives. If something remarkable happens, it is always God's doing!
Sometimes we fail to see simply because we aren't looking. About six years ago I purchased a small "Line-a-Day" book. It has enough space to record several God-instances at the end of each day. I keep it beside my bed, and it is the last thing I do every night. I stop and consider where I have seen the hand of God throughout my day. It forces me to give careful thought to how the Lord has provided for me. Regardless of how difficult the day may have been, there are always reasons to be thankful. It almost seems that on the worst possible days, the more evidences of His hand I see. Yes, diagnosis, tragedy, loss and heartache can unexpectedly interrupt our lives, but in the midst of grief and uncertainly, God meets with us so deeply, His blessings come to us as tender intimacy.
Yesterday my husband and I had to travel into Toronto to St. Michael's hospital. This was not a scheduled appointment, but recent tests revealed that his heart is weakening further. The cardiologist wanted to exam him and change his medication. This could have been a day of anxiety and fear, yet instead I began looking for God as we set out on the Go-Train.
As we travelled, texts and messages began filling my phone. Family and friends praying for us. My heart was encouraged and filled with hope. Although we had a twenty-minute walk to get to the hospital after departing the train, it is all underground, so the forecast of rain and storms didn't impact us at all. And, when I say "underground", I'm not talking a tunnel. I was laughing as we journeyed through this "hidden city". It was incredible! The flooring sparkled. The shops are all "high-end". The markets and restaurants were numerous. My heart filled with delight at a time when I could have been discouraged.
Although my husband's heart is struggling, the specialists we spoke to didn't seem overly alarmed. In fact, they sanctioned reinstating his driver's license and told him he could enjoy a day of golf! It's been thirteen months since he has done either!
His appointment ended and we walked the path back through the underground shopping maze. We arrived to the Go-train one-minute before the doors closed! We had no control over the length of our appointment at the hospital, but God did. He made sure the timing was so perfect that we made it to Union Station at the exact time we needed to be there to head home, and not a moment too soon or too late!
God daily showers us with blessings. As Seph Schlueter sings in the song "Counting My Blessings", "The more that I look in the details, The more of Your goodness I find." Like the Psalmist, our list of His wonderful deeds will never come to an end. Lord, open our eyes to see.
"Counting My Blessings"; Songwriters Jonathan Gamble/Jordan Douglas Sapp/Seph Schlueter; Capitol CMG Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group; copyright 2024
No comments:
Post a Comment