I was engrossed in the pastor’s sermon when my husband thrust his arm in front of me with his wrist watch showing 12:20. Oh, no, I needed to get home, since we had invited our son’s family for lunch! It takes us 30 minutes to get home, and I had some final preparations to do. Anyway, my roast needed to come out of the oven by now. Ten minutes or so later, I nudged Howard, suggesting we leave a little early. He gave me a stern look and shook his head.
Trying to be patient and not let my thoughts interfere with what was being said as the pastor seemed again to be closing, I whispered to Howard that maybe we could leave at the close of the invitation. He was lost in prayer and shook me off in irritation. The invitation took a twist as Pastor shared his father’s colorful past in lengthy detail, the point being that if God could save him, (which He did), he could save anybody. It was almost one o’clock when we left. Visions of a dry roast and impatient family waiting in our driveway made me urge my husband to hurry, even though I was receiving a well-deserved lecture on reverence in church.
Imagine my surprise when no one was in our driveway, our daughter-in-law was being detained at a short meeting after their services, and my son and granddaughter were taking leisurely motorcycle rides and in no hurry. My grandson wouldn’t even be present, as he was visiting a friend. Even more astounding was my discovery that the roast was fork-tender and cooked to perfection! The meal was lovely, and I was ashamed of my anxiety.
I read somewhere that when we get upset if things don’t go according to our plans, it is a form of sin--wanting to be in control rather than trusting God with the details of our lives. The Bible does say in Proverbs 16:9 that man plans his way, but God directs his steps. I still have some work to do in this area.
Yesterday, for instance, I had planned to do laundry and hang clothes outside, as I do every Wednesday. We got up to a rainy morning, the first in weeks, so I was disappointed, wishing I had washed the day before when the weather was sunny and hot. I had agreed to go with Howard to do something since I couldn’t hang my wash, but suddenly the sun came out with a nice dry breeze, and I wanted to stay home!
Begrudgingly, I did what he wanted, resigned to the probability that it would cloud up again before I got back, as the weather report predicted more rain, and I would miss my window of opportunity for blue sky, laundry-drying weather. But it was clear and beautiful for the rest of the day! I got all the clothes washed, dried and folded with plenty of time to spare!
I thought of my little granddaughters, who, through no plans of their own, were taken on a long vacation by their parents. They may have wanted to stay in their room and play with their toys, especially the two-year-old, who doesn’t like her play interrupted. But they saw so many wonderful sights and enjoyed new experiences that would never have happened if they had had their way. Their father had a better idea.
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