I want to share an incident maybe not so random from my afternoon, something that I believe I’m not meant to keep to myself. Actually, just as I was about to start thinking about what to share for this weeks Low Down entry, I was interrupted in my office. Now to my story.
Everyday we have cleaners coming in the morning and in the afternoon to help clear up the mess that my students make in the classroom. I have come to develop a fond relationship with many of them, as they continue to remind me about what it means to serve through their job, friendliness and life example.
It was one of those moments where, you had to be there at the right time.
One of my cleaning friends was sharing to me this afternoon about the children in her family. She has 3 girls and 1 boy that she had fostered for 11 years. After coming to some crossroads in life a few years ago, it came to a point where she was faced with making a decision to bring her adopted son back to his biological parents. She struggled for some time thinking through and wrestling with the thought of losing him after all those years of nurturing and developing relationship. This was no small decision. You can imagine the different thoughts in her mind pulling from different directions.
Recently becoming a Christ-follower, she realised she could bring her requests before God, and have Him be her central guide in the middle of a decision she didn’t quite know how to make.
After pondering and praying, she resolved in her heart to return her son, to his biological parents. But by no means did that make it easy for her to let go. She described it to me like it was very back and forth in her heart and mind. Talk about a tough decision hey?
It came to the day, where she followed though with her God prompting, and gave her adopted son into life he would experience with his biological parents. She still had a hint of doubt as to if she had made the right decision, but believing it be from God she left it into His hands.
A few days later, early in the morning on her cleaning run, she described it to me so vividly - the sun was just rising and she was cleaning the windows of my classroom. Out of no where she heard a voice. She described it as an audible voice that said these words, “I am pleased with you”. In a bit of shock and fear she begin to look around, down stairs and in classrooms for this voice. She thought it might have been our cheeky groundsman that practically lives on the property.
All of a sudden she realised that she heard the voice of God confirming and affirming the decision she had made just a few days ago regarding her son. She felt a sense of release and comfort to know that, it was really God speaking to her in the first place, that she had done the right thing by God. This encounter was fused into her heart and continued to remind her about God’s goodness and strength in challenging decisions and difficult choices.
The reason why she was telling me that story today, is because she just realised that when she heard God those few years back, it was in front of my classroom and it so happens to be the 7th room in that block - 7 being God’s number. Maybe God was reminding her about about His hand upon her life back those years again today. Amazing huh?
As we reflect on our lives too, I believe there are times that we can remember God speaking to us or moving in a way that could have only been Him. Or maybe you’re in a moment of time right now that you are waiting for God to affirm something within you, give you fresh direction or intervene in a certain situation.
Regardless of your situation, my bible says, “and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” Rom 8:28. I’m even reminded about how good our God is even from the words of prophecy that have affirmed and encouraged us during presbytery over the weekend. I’m still totally amazed by that!
So if your in the thick of exams or you my have some challenges in your personal life that you are struggling through, can I say to you - trust God. Trust God, because He works for good. Not just one thing, but in all things, He works for good. So for all those who walk in a relationship loving the Lord, you’ve got God’s good hand upon your life.
You can’t get better than that I tell ya!!!