With all of the conversation about the eclipse, the sun, moon and Earth lining up perfectly to create an awe-inspiring result, I've been thinking about how God works in our lives to line things up for amazing results. Let me tell you about a time when God worked in my
life in a way that still boggles my mind.
I was a seminary student in Wake Forest, NC. I had completed two years of my three year
Master’s degree. I was just a year away
from graduation and, perhaps, gainful employment. As my second year of studies was winding
down, the time had come to sign up for fall classes. That’s when something very strange
happened. I hit a wall. I couldn’t bring myself to sign up for
classes. I enjoyed school and had
usually done pretty well in my studies, but, for reasons I didn’t fully
understand, I simply couldn’t sign up. I
decided that what I needed was some time to do
ministry instead of studying
ministry. Guided by that thought, I
applied to several hospitals that offered a residency in Clinical Pastoral
Education. I hoped I would be accepted,
serve and learn for a year, then return to school and finish my course
work. After a few weeks, I was invited
to interview for the chaplaincy program at Spartanburg Regional Medical
Center. My interview went pretty well,
but the chaplains were curious as to why I wanted to do the program before
finishing my seminary work. I answered
them as best I could, telling them I wanted to serve more than study for a
year.
After a few long days of waiting had passed, my telephone rang and I
was offered a position in the program. I
later found out that the lead chaplain wasn’t exactly sure why he chose me. He usually didn’t accept students who hadn’t
finished their seminary studies but, as he said it to me, “Somehow I knew you
were supposed to be in my program.” I
wasn’t sure why he chose me either, at least, not yet.
I’d worked in the hospital for a week or two when my
family received some devastating news.
My father had a brain tumor the doctors could do nothing to treat. He had, at best, a few months to live. When I heard the doctor’s report, two
bigger-than-life feelings filled my heart.
One of them, of course, was grief. I loved my dad and certainly wasn’t ready to
let him go. He was only 54 years
old. After working hard his entire life,
he wouldn’t see a day of retirement. He
wouldn’t see any of his children married.
He’d never hold a grandchild. Barry
hadn’t even graduated from high school. Though
he’d suffered through my early preaching efforts, he wouldn’t hear me preach as
a pastor. My world had suddenly been
turned upside down.
But grief was not alone in my soul. Beneath the howling winds and crashing waves
was an awareness I couldn’t escape.
Through an amazing series of circumstances I couldn’t explain, God had
put me exactly where I needed to be.
Instead of being five hours away in seminary and needing
to drop out of classes to help my family, I was thirty minutes away from them
and able to visit my father almost every day.
Linda was at Furman, less than an hour away from me. Her love and support meant the world to
me. I had a wonderful support system in
my coworkers at the hospital. They were
faithful friends who gave me listening ears and sympathizing tears. I could worship at my home church, people I’d
known and loved for a lifetime.
I was heartbroken, to be sure, but I also knew in the
depths of my soul that God had worked in an amazing way, lining so many things
up perfectly for me to walk with my dad through his illness and help my family
after his death.
I believe that same great God is working in your life in
that same great way. This may be the
perfect time for God to accomplish something amazing. May you see how God is lining things up in your life.