First Steps – May 10, 2021

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of officiating my nephew’s wedding. His aunt and I were married when he was 3 years old.  I have had the pleasure of watching him grow into a fine, hardworking man. He married a beautiful young lady and I’m excited to see their life together grow. Nonetheless, the venue for the wedding ceremony was picturesque. Planned as an outdoor wedding in a giant pasture with manicured grass, white seats, and a perfectly decorated arbor. Everything was stunning. However, two minutes before the ceremony was to start, the bottom fell out. Not just a little spring shower but a deluge. Noah would have approved. Then the wind started blowing the rain sideways, and to top it off, hail the size of quarters started to fall.  It would have been comical had it not been the culmination of months of planning and every day before this day was perfection. Eventually, everyone moved to Plan B – a service under a pavilion.  On one level, under the pavilion seemed better because it was a smaller setting which created more intimacy in the service. As you can imagine, thirty minutes after the service the sun broke through the clouds and the reception was an unspoiled celebration of the couple’s love for each other.   

What was interesting to me was as soon as the ceremony was over, the weather wasn’t mentioned again.  No one cared because everyone was there to celebrate the couple. Granted it was tense and anxious before the ceremony, but afterward, it was a passing thought.  The couple was married and people were happy.  

Often, we are enslaved by things we can’t control.  Sure, we plan but life is not controllable. The promise of God is not that life will be controlled but that regardless of what comes, he will guide us through to the other side.  I like how Jesus closed his greatest sermon, The Sermon on the Mount: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise person who built a house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish person who built a house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. (Matthew 7:24-29).

Faith is not the ability to control the uncontrollable but the assurance that one will guide through any and all circumstances. You will face storms in life, many will come without warning. The remedy is found in trusting in the one who holds you in the palm of his hands.  

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6