For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
Esther 4:14 NKJV
I was remembering my sweet friend, Jenny, who passed away in March 2011.
When Jenny got sick, she invited our mutual friend, Darleen, and me to come visit. It seemed unbelievable that it had been seven years since the three of us had been together. Years before, we met originally because we were all in a tough time in our lives that had us grasping earnestly for God. Even though our lives and careers were - and still were - so vastly different, we had one common denominator – our desire for more of the Lord.
We were not raised the same. We were not born in the same state of the U.S. We didn’t go to the same schools or colleges. We were not the same age. We didn't look anything alike. We all loved music, but not the same kind (one loved traditional hymns, one loved the Hillsong-type, and one loved Southern Gospel). We didn’t even have any friends in common who brought us to that place. Only God could have gotten the three of us together in the same place at the right time and connected our hearts.
We shared the Reader’s Digest© version of our lives of what God had done since last we saw each other. In each instance, we marveled at how God constantly - strategically - placed (and continues to place) people in our paths 'for such a time as this.' We talked for 3 hours straight about the miraculous and loving way God does this – and that was with shortened versions!
Have you ever stopped to think about this God phenomenon in your life? People you would never have met if God hadn’t intervened. For instance, I could tell you about those I’ve never met who are on this Promise list and yet God caused our paths to cross (albeit cyber paths) and how we have strengthened each other in this journey of life. And if I start on the ones I actually know, I’ll never get done here tonight!
Jenny and her husband would have celebrated their Diamond Anniversary in September of 2011 – married 60 years and they were still crazy about each other. A sixty-year marriage is a definite orchestration by God, but logistically, they should never have had the opportunity to meet.
Jenny was in college in Houston when her friends convinced her to go to school in Austin, so she checked out and finished her semester in Austin. She didn’t like it and came home to Houston to try to beg her way back into her former school. Well, her grades from Austin were not what they needed to be and the Houston registrar told Jenny that she had to return to Austin and take summer school courses to bring up the grades in order to be able to return to Houston for the next semester.
Jenny was NOT happy. The fraternity houses were closed for the summer – her friends were gone until the Fall – she was sure it was going to be absolutely miserable. Meanwhile, over in El Paso, RG needed to get to Austin, but he didn’t have a car. A friend of his was heading to Austin to see a girl he had fallen in love with at the college, but the girl was only allowed to double date (my, how times have changed!). RG’s friend agreed to give him a ride, but in exchange, RG would have to go on a blind date with whoever the girl "drug up."
Six hundred miles later, RG really tried to back out, but the friend wouldn’t let him out of the car until RG gave his word that he would show up. Jenny was the blind date and it was the LAST blind date for both of them. Jenny and RG never dated anyone else and were married in September 1951.
The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. Psalm 37:23-24 NLT
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You for every mountain, every valley, every blocked road and raging river of life …for You were there and lovingly placed one of Your children to be Your hand extended. Thank You for all the paths You have caused to strategically cross in order to fulfill Your divine plan for our lives. Help us to comfort others as You have comforted us. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen
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