An
Inkling
When
I hear someone in the midst of a major life struggle describe what God is
doing, I start taking notes. That’s what
I did last week at a board meeting (our partnership with three other churches
for orphan care in Asia).
Jim
and Liz Nelson had been preparing for over a year to go on site and lead our
efforts there. That meant winding down
Jim’s business, selling off their furniture, etc. They were just about to go when Liz was
diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Suddenly
their orderly pursuit of God’s calling was bowled over by surgery and chemo,
and such practical considerations as “what should we do for furniture in our
now empty house?”
Jim
described to us some of what they’ve learned in the last three months. I was particularly struck by his affirmation
that God is much more adept at working with chaos than we are. From chaos he called forth creation (Gen
1:2), through chaos he led a people to freedom and a promised land, and so on.
Life
is full of sound and fury, but far from Shakespeare’s words, it’s not a tale
told by an idiot. It’s a tale told by
the One for whom chaos is just one more ingredient to fold into his wise and gracious
plan.
We’re
counting on that for Jim and Liz as we pray for them. So, too, for our ministry partnership caring
for orphans, as we try to discern what the Lord intends now for our on site leadership.
How
about for you? I don’t suppose there is
any chaos stirring in your life… But
just in case, how do you see the Lord’s hand at work?
Pray
for Liz!
Keith
