“Wow, What An Adventure”

Faith is such an overwhelming reordering of our perception of reality. With faith we are able to look beyond the finite and look into the eternal…. looking beyond our problems to God’s blessings. With faith our joy comes alive… our hope wins the day. 

Listen to these lines of Jacques Fesch, a condemned murderer, who experienced a profound conversion before his execution in a French prison. To his mother he wrote, “Try to open your eyes wide and to see, behind what looks like punishment, the manifestation of God’s love. Be at peace about me. God has given me the great grace of drawing me to himself, and when you read these lines I shall be looking upon our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Magnificat, April 22, 2023) He ends with “ Abide, you too, in the love of Christ, and you will see God. Now my life is finished. “Like a little spring flower which the divine Gardener plucks for his pleasure”,so my head will fall—glorious ignominy—with heaven for its prize!  I am happy….” (ibid)

“We know that in everything God works for the good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28) It’s true that when we see with eyes enlightened by the Holy Spirit, often what seems like punishment or bad fortune is really God’s plan unfolding. God is always bringing good out of our troubles…. working all things to the good. Many years ago a good friend of mine lost his job… it was a very difficult time and disappointment; yet the Lord worked it to such great good in his new position. He was able to spend invaluable time in training his sons and after 20 years is still making a major contribution to the work of God. He may have not chosen this adventure, but it sure has worked out well.

So how is God working through our current trials in bringing about a great work? Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to show us. I may not like my current situation, my current challenges, my current disappointment, my current sickness… yet how is God working it to the good. Hmmmmm. I’ve found that my frustrations will often force me to turn to God with real determination and deeper prayer and ask for his help. We know that the discipline of the Lord is not always a lot of fun, even painful…. but it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained in it.” (ref. Hebrews 12:11) 

Sometimes when we are stuck in some unexpected traffic, or the car is giving us a problem, or there’s some other bigger problem ….. my wife Judy will ring out, “boy, what an adventure…how is God going to work this out.” Hey let’s be honest, I’m not always thrilled to hear this from her….. and believe it or not, I can even can give her a “look”. But after I count to 10, look out the window, start whistling, and even pray, it’s amazing how my peace returns and I do see the Lord at work in the midst of the trouble. 

So, let’s raise our gaze into the heavens and see how the Lord is once again going to make lemonade out of lemons. Boy, what an adventure !