When You Can See God's Hand

Is there anything more cool than seeing the hand of God working in the midst of life's details? Maybe I am seeing His hand because I've been spending a lot more time with God recently. Or maybe I am seeing His hand more because He is working in more obvious ways. I don't care why I can see it...I'm just glad I can.

One of the main reasons we are moving to Florida is that we firmly believe in the concepts our new ministry is working with. The most important thing in life is your relationship with Christ. All of life is shaped by that relationship. The fullness of your life is directly correlated with your view of God. Our new ministry is taking this crucial concept, and putting it into material that children can grasp, and that parents can teach their children. One of the cool projects we'll be working on is a video puppet blog, in which the puppet talks about happenings of daily life, and uses those situations to teach kids about the character of God.

A couple times each year, Matt and I have the privilege of getting to do chapel services for the Christian schools in our area. This morning, we did chapel for 4th-6th grade at one of the schools. As we planned what our presentation would be, we were both impressed that the most important thing would could communicate to those kids is that God and His Word are totally true and reliable, because God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. After much discussion, we prepared our program. We did two puppet skits, with Matt talking to the kids in between.

The first skit was interaction between Bradley the Bear puppet and me. Bradley was all flustered that he couldn't hibernate this year because he needed to watch the sun rise every day, and check the flowers in the meadow to make sure they were growing, and visit the river to make sure it was flowing correctly. Then I told Bradley the God takes care of those things, and He always has. We can trust God because He is completely true and reliable. He never changes.

The second skit was the first puppet blog Matt will be using when the blog goes online. It was a funny monologue done by Freddie, a little boy puppet. Freddie discusses how all around him, life is changing. His dad is having to work two jobs because he got a big pay cut at his old job. His mom is having to go spend some time with Grandma in Arizona because Grandma's health is deteriorating. Because of the family's financial struggles, Freddie is going to have to leave his Christian school next year. His life is in turmoil and he doesn't like all the change. But then he remembers a discussion he had with his Sunday school teacher--that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Because God never changes, Freddie can hold onto God and trust Him, even as everything in his world is changing. God and His Word are true, not matter what anyone else tries to tell him. We are doing this presentation again for the 1st-3rd graders. I'll try to remember to bring my video camera. If I do, I'll post the video here for you.

Here's where we saw God's hand in this. Matt had been working on his chapel plan for a week, but nothing was coming together. But when we sat down to discuss it, God gave this idea to me. We both had such peace about it, and then Matt's creative juices began to flow. He wrote the Freddie skit with no problem. Then this morning, as we were sitting behind the puppet stage, waiting for our turn to present, a couple of cool things happened. First of all, the kids sang the song "Voice of Truth," by Casting Crowns. I got all bawly and sniffly as I was listening to the words, realizing that the song was setting up for our presentation. "Out of all the voices calling out to me, I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth." And then each grade recited their memory verse for the week. And wouldn't you know it, the 5th graders recited a verse from Hebrews that was part of the passage Matt had built the whole presentation around! Seriously?

It is so awesome to see how God brings details like that together. We didn't know the music teacher's plan for music in chapel today. We didn't know the verses the kids were learning. And the school staff did not know the theme of our presentation. Yet God worked it all together. It could not have been more perfect. Matt was able to share that with the kids, and he challenged them to listen to what is true, and to hold onto God in the midst of a changing world. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

It was SO COOL! And so affirming to us. This was yet another confirmation that we are on the path God has ordained for us. He has designed us to communicate truth to kids and their parents. He has gifted Matt to speak, and me to help him organize his thoughts and support his creativity. I keep welling up when I think of how amazingly it all fit together, and how ridiculously obvious God's hand and presence was this morning.

This whole deal has inspired me to be watching more carefully and intentionally for God at work in my life. Seeing Him like this is so incredible...I don't ever want to miss Him! How have you seen God's hand recently? Please share! I'd love to hear it.