God’s Hand

I have been seeing a lot in the past week or two just how much God is moving His hand in the life of my family and in my own life personally. A lot of this has been answered prayer. Some of it has been expected since I am certain my wife and I are truly pursuing His will. But there are some who believe that God just sits in Heaven and watches us try to work things out. Those poor deists are missing the boat.  I have never been one of those. Just wasn’t raised that way. Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

The surprises come, like the time last week, my wife and I were talking about the monthly budget and how tight the money was this month. We were getting a little stressed and it was time for a break. (Yep. It happens to all of us. Walking in faith is a challenge sometimes.) So I went down to check the mail. What did I find? I found an unexpected check for enough money to balance out the budget for the rest of the month! The lesson? The LORD will provide. Genesis 22:7-8 “Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will [a]provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.” How easy it is to forget that when we start getting stressed.

A number of incidents recently have pointed me to see God’s hand at work. But yesterday was probably the most dramatic. I got a phone call. Loved ones were in a wreck. It wasn’t pretty. I raced to the scene, half of me worried sick, the other half calmly praying for all to be well. It turned out that the car was a total loss. But both of my girls escaped with minor cuts and bruises. I was moved to immediate praise to my God. And I was reminded of two critical verses. Isaiah 65:24 “It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.” God listened to my prayers. But He answered them before I even knew to pray them. His angels were there on the scene long before I got the phone call. And of course this one goes through my mind a lot. Jeremiah 32:27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” And how thankful I am that there is indeed nothing too hard for my God.

Peace and blessings,

Evangelist  W. Shannon Caplinger