God is Always at Work Around You (Part 8)

God is Always At Work Around You (Part 7)

"He comforts us in all our afflictions, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction through the comfort we ourselves have received from God ..." 2 Corinthians 1:4

I love to watch God work. Get you head out of the sand, brothers, and see Him work. Let me share a neat story with you.

On our recent Alaska trip we connected with some friends traveling with us and learned that they had a tragedy in their family several years ago. Their daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren were killed in a tragic accident. I learned that their kids attended a church in Pennsylvania. That church started in the basement of our Board Chairman. His kids and their kids were good friends. Coincidence?

On the way home the man asked where I attended church growing up. When he heard the name of our church, he asked me if I knew a friend of us -- friends who worked together and attended a Bible study at work -- co-workers for over 25 years!

Well his friend is one of our "adopted" Uncles! This week, Uncle Ted and Aunt Marge were at America's KESWICK. In fact Marge and Ted were at our first Sunday afternoon concert, and sitting 25 yards from them in the room was this other couple. They never saw each other.

I invited our friends to join Marge and Ted for lunch on Wednesday and discovered that the husband was celebrating his 79th birthday, but they had stopped celebrating birthdays because his birthday was the day that his kids were killed in the accident. For the past several days they were contemplating what they would do on this anniversary day. How thrilled they were that they were now coming to America's KESWICK.

Both couples had a delightful time together. And then it hit me how God was really at work. Yes, our friends lost four family members in a tragedy. But Marge and Ted encountered a horrible tragedy when their grandson was killed in a tragic automobile accident, and then a week later, their daughter (their grandson's Mom) died from pancreatic cancer.

My friend, what are the odds that two old friends who worked together for 25 years, would reconnect, and both lost children. If you read 2 Corinthians 1:1-7, you see that Paul teaches that when we suffer, God uses that suffering in our lives so that we can come alongside and comfort others. If you are willing to open your eyes, you too can find those God encounter moments where He is at work -- right under your nose. Are you willing to experience Him? -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 25; Psalm 37-39; Acts 26

Great Quote: People who are lazy, careless, doubtful-minded or arrogant need not expect God to reveal His secret or covenant to them.Watchman Nee