Over the past week or two, many aspects of our life have become uncertain. I won’t go into the details of what, but I like to do my best to have my ducks in a row and my plans set. Sometimes, that works, and other times God has others plans that may not be revealed to right away. That is us right now. For people like me, this can be really hard. I like to have everything in it’s nice pretty little boxes, complete with a nicely tied bow on top. So when plans don’t work out as hoped and uncertain times come lurking, for me it can be unnerving. These are times when I pray that God reveal His plan, but He usually does His own thing that usually gives me a deeper understanding of who He is and how He loves my family and I, which is usually exactly what I need! I don’t know about you, but I am so glad that God knows what we really need, and doesn’t give us what we think we need.
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.
Proverbs 19:21
Last week at church I sat next to someone that I normally do not sit next to. It was so awesome to hear her sing from her heart out of the love for her Savior. It was when she turned to me during the service (that was about trusting in Gods heart) and shared with me a little of what was going on in her life that I realized that she was going through uncertain times as well, and that I wanted to pray for her before she headed out for her day.
Once the service was over, I tearfully asked if I could pray for her, and although the only thing that I remember praying was for her not to miss what God was going to do in these uncertain times, I also remember thinking or maybe even saying that I needed that prayer as much as she did. I hope she has noticed how God has painted His hope and His love in her life, as He has for me this week.
We can make our own plans, but the LORD gives the right answer.
Proverbs 16:1
“Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”” Exodus 3:1-6
This passage comes at a time when the Israelite’s were living as slaves to the Egyptians and were praying for rescue during this time of uncertainty. Notice something about this passage. Moses was going about his business when he saw something out of the ordinary that caught his attention. It was when Moses turned to see the burning bush that God called out to him. Moses didn’t turn a blind eye to what was happening, and that is when God spoke to him about the plans that He had before him. If you read the rest of God’s conversation with Moses, you will see that when God laid out His plans, Moses seemed really uncertain about them. Moses at first didn’t understand how God would accomplish everything that He was promising. God pulled out all the stops to show Moses His great power, and still Moses was uncertain, even asking God to send someone else instead of Him.
I have kind of felt a bit like Moses this week. God has been showing off, and I have noticed! However, although God has not given us specific direction like He did for Moses, He has gone above and beyond to ensure us that He has everything in control down to the little details.
Ever since we found out we were having a girl, I have been on the look out for bedding. I like the colors light pink and light gray. In keeping my eye out, I hadn’t found anything, but we have a lot of time. But then on Saturday, I was supposed to be at a friends house, but ended up a Toys R Us looking for a bicycle helmet for Charlie. I found the helmet, and was walking out when I saw a clearance table. And there was a beautiful pink and gray crib set. I walked over, and the next 2 things that I saw could have knocked me on the floor! The name of the brand of the crib set was “Olivia Rose”. The exact name that we have chosen for our daughter. I was on the phone with a friend and had to hang up because I was so excited and couldn’t explain or contain my excitement about this! And then I saw the price. A $200 crib set, was on sale for $21.20! What?!?!?! God I totally didn’t miss that! I wanted to do cartwheels I was so excited! This may not seem like a big deal, but for us, this was God saying to us that He has everything under control, even down to the little details that are important to us.
So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man.
Proverbs 3:4
Then yesterday comes, and we were on the boat with my parents, and late afternoon, Charlie is playing with my phone on his beloved Bible app, and seconds later you see his little hand hang my phone over the side of the boat and drop the phone. We were at the island, and there was about 2-3 feet of water, but my dad was moving the boat which would make it hard to mark the place where the phone fell. We looked for the phone, even though the situation seemed hopeless with the gross Long Island Sound water. I mean what was going to happen if we found the phone anyway? It would be dead. Surely water had entered the phone, and ruined it in 10 seconds flat. But we found the phone 20 minutes later… and it was ON! and working…except for the speaker! No water had gotten into the phone itself! After the night in rice, it is like NOTHING happened! Ah!!! Stuff like this just doesn’t happen. The thoughts that were going through my head while others looked for my phone were like I need a phone for this week…I am going to be away…I need GPS…How am I going to get a phone this late in the day when I leave so early in the morning? And the entire time, God had given us grace by not allowing the phone to take in water. If He took care of my phone, how much more would He take care of my family?
I love that when we pray to God that we not miss what He is doing, He goes above and beyond what we could expect! Currently I am on a plane writing this, and many of you know that I am not the biggest fan of flying. But He used these two events in the past 
couple days to reveal to me His heart, and how much He cares for every detail. Granted, getting on a plane this morning was not easy. I went back and forth between nerves, and peace, fear, and excitement. And then as I went to the bathroom before boarding, I even considered not getting on the plane. But I did and am here writing in peace about the goodness of God and His care for us.
It is easy to focus on the uncertain times when you have no clue what the future holds. If you are living in uncertain times , and I know we are all in a way, don’t live these times alone. Ask God to open your eyes to what He is doing. Keep your eyes on Him as He answers you, and reveals to you who He is and His love for you. Uncertain times are painted with traces of His presence (like a burning bush, snakes that turn into sticks, infant bedding, and cell phones that should be dead). Take some time to take note of the ways that He has been painting His presence in your life. Don’t miss what He has in front of you.
