His Wonders to Perform

Recently I heard something that made me just stop.  

I was watching Downton Abbey and the elderly matron sighed, “the Lord works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.”  Hmm. It’s a common enough phrase yet how often we only hear the first half.  One might say it despairingly while shaking their head or in a tone of awe.

His ways certainly are a mystery to us and from Job we learn, how dare we question? (Job 40)

We don’t know how a small hard acorn can sprout and grow into a giant tree.  How does life grow from a burnt forest floor that is nothing but ash and charcoal?  The Lord works in mysterious ways indeed, His wonders to perform.  He works not just good, but shines His glory through situations we consider “bad”.

Look at Paul in prison chains.  Here he had time on his hands and a heart inspired by God to write letters to the Christians in several cities which became books of the bible where these stories of God’s love and encouragement have been handed down for centuries.    What about Moses?  He was taken from his home and sent down a river!  In God’s providence, the little basket stayed afloat and was discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter who took him in and raised him as one of her own.  This upbringing was training for later in his adult years.

That was then??  A few weeks ago after sitting for 2 cold dark hours on the side of the road with a flat tire situation I wound up having the opportunity to meet a young woman who has been coming to St. John’s.  Now she has another person she knows when she visits next.   

After  my husband died, I moved back to WI.  I could go on and on telling you how  God has used that very sad and difficult experience to  grow my faith and use me. 

What about you? How often can’t you look back to situations that were unpleasant at the time only to look back and realize how God worked it for the good of His kingdom? 

His wonders to perform and perform He does!  Shepherd boy kills giant.  Boy’s lunch feeds over 5,000 people in the countryside.   God is using me.  God is using you.  All these statements, while true, are hard to understand yet in them God is glorified.

Be alert, be on the watch and be awed at His performance.  (JH)