God's Timing

I have usually thought about waiting for God's timing in terms of careers, kids, marriage, buying a house, etc.  Last night, however, I was reminded of how active our Lord is in all areas of our lives and ministry, and that maybe God knows what he is doing. 

This striking revelation came because our Session met last night and we are going to be starting a book by Glenn McDonald called The Disciple Making Church.  I had wanted to use this book for our Session because many of the ideas and practices McDonald writes about are things that our Session and our church has been trying to get going.  I thought, "This is perfect!"  I also thought we could begin the study with our first Session meeting of the year. 

Murphy prevented us from beginning last night -- some books were ordered but not yet delivered, some books were the same title but by a decidedly different author, and some people had difficulty finding the book.  All of that to say, we did not begin our study last night.  However, we did raise many of the topics McDonald writes about so eloquently, and as a whole, the Session seemed to be asking the same question:  What do we do next?  How do we better live out ministry?  How do we make a lasting difference in lives?

Why didn't we start our book study last night?  Because God still had some preparation to do among our church council (yeah, I used the new fancy B.O.O. word!). 

I shouldn't be, but am surprised that I found God in so simple a thing as when we begin a book study.  If you've ever found yourself frustrated because things aren't working according to your carefully laid out timetable (like I do, on occasion!), it's OK.  God hasn't left or forgotten what's going on.  This gives me a little piece of shalom, and I hope it does you as well.

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; 

the patient in spirit are better than the proud in spirit. 

 Ecclesiastes 7:8