One summer my family and I were offered a home to use for two weeks in the mountains of North Carolina. It was the first time my whole family vacationed together.
The home is located on a lake and of course my five grandsons were very excited about fishing from the bank. However, access to the lake was limited due to overgrown trees which left a very small space at the shore. We needed more space and I felt that it would be helpful to have some of the trees removed that were in the way.
On the first morning, while I was pondering the whole situation, I heard the sound of a lawnmower and chopping coming from the lot next door. I walked outside and around the corner at the front of the property I saw two women, one was pushing a lawnmower and the other was chopping trees and brush.
I decided to ask the women if they would be able to remove some of the trees and brush from the edge of the lake at the property. They agreed and we settled on a price. The first woman said she would call me in the morning when they were on their way. When I gave her my phone number, she recognized the area code and said that she grew up in Jacksonville approximately five blocks from where I live. We stood there looking at each other in surprise. I thought, “What are the chances of meeting at this time and place and having this in common”, and “What is God telling me?” I’ll be sure to ask Him one day. For now I felt safe and affirmed in my decision to have the trees and brush removed and confident that I was not going to be ripped off and the owners of the property would also be blessed.
What are the situations in your life where you knew you could make a difference in someone else’s life but fear kept you from moving ahead so you didn’t? And the opposite, what did you dare to do with God’s help that turned out good?
The older I get (I’m almost there) the more I see that God is at work, although hidden, very real. I love looking back to see what God has done for me and celebrate His hand on me. What has He done for you?
Can You Move Like Esther?
Esther was chosen as Xerxes’ queen (1:1-2:23). Her uncle, Mordecai, aroused the hatred of a high royal officer, Haman. Haman determined to destroy Mordecai’s whole race (3:1-15). Mordecai enlisted Esther’s reluctant help (4:1-5:14). Coincidentally Xerxes honored Mordecai for a forgotten service (6:1-14). Esther revealed she was one of the race Haman plotted to exterminate, and Haman was hanged (7:1-10). The Jews gained the right to protect themselves from their enemies (8:1-17). Many enemies of the Jews were slain (9:1-16), and Purim, celebrating deliverance, was instituted (vv.17-32). Mordecai gained high rank in Persia, and used it to help the Jewish people (10:1-3).