"Why in the world would God let this happen?" That's what I've been thinking lately. I don't understand. I'm supposed to be giving a report right now...a praise report...a report detailing how God came through at the last possible moment. But, He didn't. He chose not to. I don't know why, I just wonder. I want to know why, but I don't think He's going to tell me...at least not yet anyway...maybe never, in this lifetime. I'm supposed to be reporting about how I trusted God, had faith in God, and He came through. How He's an "on time God"...maybe not MY time, but surely on time or just in time. But He didn't. And now I wonder, why?
2 and 1/2 years ago, we put our house up for sale, packed our bags and moved to Culpeper, VA to plant a new church, Mosaic Church. God said to "go" and so we went, trusting that God would somehow allow our house to sell. It was out of our hands. We came with no guarantee of a job and not knowing a soul in this community. But God said "go" and so we went. God has since provided a great job and has grown Mosaic from 0-40. He has done some amazing things and provided in some amazing ways! God has put some great people in our life and we have made dear friends and relationships here. I'm confident that God has been in this journey with us every step of the way.
On Friday we received a letter from the attorneys that our house was foreclosed on. We had not been able to keep up with rent in Virginia and a mortgage in Florida, and because we weren't living in the home, the bank would not give us any help. The President's bailout wasn't any help for us and Freddi Mac never came through. Even after finally renting the house, the bank would not take payment unless it brought the mortgage current. Impossible. So, after exhausting every possible means of modifying the loan and being turned down, the bank finally foreclosed. We can add our name to list of millions here in America.
But, why? We trusted God. We stepped out in faith. We've seen Him do miracles in so many other ways and situations. Why not with this? Why in the world would God let this happen? As I shared my thoughts with a good friend tonight, he had no answers for me. How could he? But, he did remind me of some guys in the Bible who were in a tough situation. They knew God could come through for them. They trusted that He would. But there was no guarantee. It reads like this:
"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." Daniel 3:16-18
Did you catch that? "the God we serve IS ABLE to save us...but even if he DOES NOT." Could he? He could. Would He? They didn't know. But, they were still going to worship and serve Him alone. Boy, I needed that. Thanks, Matt. Could God have done a miracle in this terrible economy and allowed my house to sell? Yes, He could. He was able. But even is he does not...and he didn't, I will worship and serve Him alone.
So, I do have praise report. I don't understand God and his ways, but I will trust him anyway. I will worship and serve him alone. What a journey this is turning out to be!
Duane
My son surprised me yesterday. It wasn't the good kind of surprise, either, like when someone gives you a gift you weren't expecting. No, he surprised me with something that caused fear to come over me. We went for a walk down to the pond in the park behind our house yesterday, because the pond has frozen over with the very cold temperatures lately. We wanted to go see it and maybe step on the ice a little bit along the edge to see if it would hold our weight. It was a father and son adventure. When we stepped out on the edge of the pond, we could see that it was definitely frozen enough to hold our weight. That's when my son surprised me. Before I could warn him, he fearlessly walked out about 15 ft from the shore on the ice, and said, "I did this yesterday, Dad, I know it can hold me up." That's when the fear came over me. "What, you did this yesterday?" Now, I'm thinking back to yesterday. When did he come down here by himself? Then I remembered. We had asked him to go walk the dog, Buster, down at the park. Now, I knew. He had gone down there when he walked the dog by himself. At that point the "what if" fear began to grip me. "What if" he had broken through the ice and I wasn't around. Without becoming angry, but certainly wanting him to understand how serious I was, I began to instruct him to never do that again. This was something we were to do together, never alone. It reminded me that it is impossible for me to always know what my son is doing at every moment. This is not the first time I've been surprised and it surely won't be the last, but God is never surprised. Just that morning I read these words in Proverbs, 
