Psalm 118:22-24 — The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Today our church celebrated becoming debt free, about two years ahead of a schedule that got drastically revised by the financial chaos caused by the collapse of the property market. Only God could have provided in such an amazing way. As if to put His special seal of approval on proceedings today has been a picture-perfect Florida Spring day — temperatures in the high seventies, not a cloud in the blue sky, nice cooling breeze …
We heard some great testimonials from people whose lives had really been enriched by the facilities the church’s campus makes possible. A young teenager had grown up in the church and it’s school, a young single mom had turned her life around, an older couple had found a new church home after a frustrating search … Just three of what, I am sure, could have been hundreds of beautiful stories. Only God could have done it …
The events of the day made me look back over the nine years that the church has been paying off the debt and thinking about what God has done in my life. When it started, I had been a Christian for a few short years. Even then I could look back over a life which, though it had not been especially wicked, contained enough selfishness and self indulgence to make it nothing to be proud of. I remember looking back and thinking I was doing O.K. …
What does it look like nine years later?
Myra and I went through a period when we thought we were going into ministry — and were disappointed when that same financial crisis put a stop to our support raising.
My job has been a perilous roller coaster, with more probability of downs than ups — not through any fault of mine, but because the business has been very “challenged”.
I’ve been writing these devotions for almost two years. The process has taught me — and keeps teaching me — more than I could ever have imagined.
I could say so much more, but I hope you’re getting the picture. I’m not the man I was nine years ago. I know now that the Christian life can be as much down as up — if not more. I’m starting to know that there can be as much joy in the valleys as there is in the hills.
Only God could have made the changes in my life that He has made. “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes“. … But I am only one in millions of millions … See what God has done, is doing, and will do. A debt-free church isn’t much to God, although I suspect the army of faithful givers will make Him smile … but the changed life, ah that is a miracle.