Friday, August 21, 2009

The Way God Works

So you've heard that old cliche, "God works in mysterious ways." At this point I feel like I've heard that statement enough times out of context, that more often than not it makes me want to stick my finger in my eye and swirl it around (Sorry for the less than tasteful imagery). 9 times out of 10 when a person makes that statement they are referring to some sort of earthly blessing that they have decided must be connected to God working in their lives. It's usually something like this...

"So last week as I got in my car to drive to work, I noticed that my gas tank was on empty. I was super late, and was just angry with myself for forgetting to do it the night before. So, with a disgruntled attitude I sped my way to the closest gas station. I got out quickly, filled my tank, and sped away as quick as possible. When lunch rolled around, I headed across the street as usual to grab a bite from the local B-B-Q joint, amazing ribs! I ordered my food, watched the cashier ring my up reached for my wallet and my worst nightmare was realized. I had lost my wallet. I proceeded to run out of the restaurant in a panic, convinced I had left it at the gas station that morning. When I arrived at the gas station I ran in, and sure enough the cashier pulled it out from behind the counter remembering me from earlier that day. As I walked out the door, I looked down, and saw a lottery ticket lying in the street. I bent over to pick it up noticing it had not been scratched. To make a long story short, I had found a winning ticket, and won myself $500. All that stuff that I thought was a major head ache, led me to find $500 laying in the street. Can you believe that? 

God Works in mysterious ways!"

As you attempt to continue reading this while you search for blunt object to jam into your eye, you are likely thinking what I am thinking. God doesn't care about you being rich! It's true, God cares about you being His!

All that is really to say that although that statement has grown tired, it doesn't change the reality that it's true. It's not true because God miraculously makes every hard circumstance with a happy ending, it's true because God is in the business of changing lives, and any time broken sinful people find new life in Him, it is, "MYSTERIOUS!" 

I feel like the last week has shown me many of these kinds of situations, God has been moving in my midst, changing lives, healing hearts, drawing people to himself for all of time, but this week I have been blessed to be apart of that mystery in ways that I have rarely had the opportunity to experience. God is a mystery, and when he applies His grace to the life of a broken sinner, it is a wild ride. You can bet on it being ugly, hard, painful, and long, but you can also bet on it being exciting, and most of all mysterious. 

If you feel like you have seen God in action, and don't stand in silence wondering how on earth that just happened, you have not experienced God. 

He is unexplainable, all powerful, and beyond anything we have ever known in this world. 

Truly, God works in mysterious ways.