Always Present

Yesterday as I was driving into the city on my way to place the order for our windows, I was thinking yet again of the journey we have taken to get where we are at in this house-building process.  I have never been so keenly aware of the Lord's hand in our lives as I am right now.  As I have been mulling over just how obvious the Lord's leading has been, I am quick to think that He must have very special plans for this stage of our lives and that is why He is so very present and so very real.  Then the Lord spoke to me something that I hope never to forget.  In the quiet of my van He whispered this to my heart - He is ALWAYS present in my life and ALWAYS working - I just don't always take the time to acknowledge it.  He has not once left me to my own devices.  He has ALWAYS been there working things out for my good and for His glory.  Maybe the reason I am so intensely aware of it now is because I am taking the time to acknowledge His daily presence in my life rather than think that I have been somehow so crafty or so smart or so lucky as to discover everything on my own.  During this journey to building our dream home, I feel as though this house is an entity on wheels and that I am in the driver's seat but that the Lord is behind me pushing it forward with such speed and determination that I am forced to just hold on!  I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He has some amazing plans for our family, plans that are so intimate and personal that I don't feel quite ready to share them, but plans that will bring the Lord glory and honor.  I don't know the full outworking of those plans but I do know that this house is a major part of those details.  I feel honored and privileged to be working with the Lord in this time of our lives and I most certainly feel inadequate for what He may be calling us to. However, there is such encouragement in knowing that He has a plan for us right now, in the present, to grow in our faith journey as we continue on this house-building process and a plan for us in the future as we live and serve each other in the new house. 

I was reminded of His hand yet again this week as we awaited the arrival of a Menard's truck delivering siding, drywall and insulation.  We knew that truck would arrive on Thursday and we planned to store those items at a secure building at my in-laws place.  On Wednesday, we discovered a freak incident occurred at their house.  The top 4' of one of their hydro poles spontaneously burst into flames and fell over.  Live power lines were on the ground and power was out for a number of hours as hydro crews worked to fix the problem which involved erecting a new pole, a new transformer box and other necessary repairs.  Had that pole fallen over a day later either the delivery truck would not have been able to enter the yard causing either long delays or uncertainty as to where to store those items or the truck would have been trapped on the yard had the pole fell over after it arrived.  Either way, it would have caused serious concerns.  As it was, everything was back to normal by the time the truck arrived and the delivery went off without any problems.  Some people may say that is just lucky.  Some people may think the hydro pole incident has nothing to do with the delivery of the items.  I say that the Lord once again ensured things would happen as He saw fit and once again we praise Him that things are progressing smoothly and on schedule.  Sometimes I think that something like building a house cannot bring the Lord glory and honor.  Sometimes I think the Lord has bigger things to concern Himself with than whether or not our house gets built - bigger things like starvation or salvation of millions or . . . well, pretty much anything.  But I am learning that even in the "worldly" things, like the building of a house, the Lord can be honored and glorified if our hearts are in a right relationship with Him.  He wants to be involved just as much as my earthly father does.  But, unlike my earthly father, my heavenly Father can and will move heaven and earth to accomplish His purposes and it is up to me to acknowledge His never-ending presence and bring glory to His name.  I am humbled that the Lord of all Creation would choose to spend His time and love and resources on me in order to bring about His purposes.  So, as we continue to journey down this road, I pray that I will continue to see His hand at work and will bring honor to His name in the small and meager ways that I know how, praising Him for His never-ending love and grace!