Psalm 9:1 – I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. (ESV)

When I read Martin Wiles' devotional on January 9, 2024, Unexpected Blessing, I was reminded of a time when God made a way for my family to move.

In July, 2008, just prior to our daughter Zoë being born, we lived in a terraced house, which we rented on the proviso of having no children. After about eight years of prayer and a medical intervention, Caroline became pregnant to full term. This meant that we would have to move out of this rented accommodation. Coincidentally, the landlady gave us notice to leave, as she had decided to sell the house, all a part of God's direction to move us on.

I tried to buy a house that we could afford somewhere outside of town, but to no avail, because this was not God's intention. Against all our frustration and lack of expectation, at the last minute, God found us the house in town that we could afford, so I knew that this was God's hand in our move.

Came the day when we moved to the new house. A great friend, John, offered his flatbed lorry to load up all our worldly goods. One big problem was that the house was situated by the crossroads of a major traffic through-route. There were also traffic lights on the crossroads, so it would be illegal and foolish to park the lorry and cause an obstruction within yards of the junction. With Caroline heavily pregnant, I prayed, "How can this be achieved?"

Unbeknownst to us, God had the answer in hand. On the same day of the move, the road was closed for resurfacing by the Highways Authority. John arrived to find that he could reverse and park the lorry right beside the house before they started resurfacing the road on our side. We were all full of wonder! Six days later Zoë was born.

I believe that in every generation, we have the opportunity to encounter Jesus for ourselves, to find that the love of God is real. Jesus goes where we cannot, to melt hearts and remove the scales from eyes by action, vision, and dream. God is always waiting to encourage us to follow Him day by day — sadly, though, often unseen and unrecognized. When His action becomes more obvious, God is giving us the opportunity, through our personal witness, to encourage, to challenge, and to show and tell of how His love for us has influenced our lives for the good, whether in physical, mental, or spiritual ways.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we do not recognize that You are always interested in our lives, to heal, restore, and promote the good. Use our testimony of Your interventions for the advancement of Your kingdom. We give You all the glory in Jesus' name. Amen.

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About the author:

Rod Marshall <roderickhenrymarshall@gmail.com>
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
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