The challenge of walking with the God who knows me  

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Names changed throughout except in some cases where the person involved has been or is in ministry.

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If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 2 Cor 5:17

Psalm 34:11-14

“Come my children, listen to me;

I will teach you the fear of the Lord:

Whoever of you loves life

And desires to see many good days,

Keep your tongue from evil

And your lips from speaking lies;

Turn from evil and do good;

Seek peace and pursue it.”

The meeting was supposed to have started as I got into the car to go.  The journey normally took about 15 to 20 minutes.  I was in hurry mode.  As I drove off as fast as I could across London I was conscious of two conflicting forces: There was the drive to fulfil a commitment and not be too late for this meeting it was pushing me to go fast and break the speed limits.  Then there was a desire to not break the speed limit, partly because I did not want to get caught and partly to honour God.

There was a green light ahead.  My speed edged up as I approached and tried to make it through before it turned.  Just as I approached however it went to red.  I had to stop.  My frustration rose.  As I sat there, it occurred to me that I was looking at the situation as if the only factor in this situation that could be changed was my arrival time.  I was thinking of it as if it was a matter of success or failure based on my efforts.  That was pretty foolish all in all.  I had no idea what was happening at the other end with the other parties to this meeting; I had no idea about what the road was like ahead;  I had no idea about how things were to go in the meeting, what would come up there.  Yet God, the sovereign Lord of the universe knew all these things.  So, here was I messing him about by going against what he had set down through his appointed government (Romans 13:1 NIV) and then expecting him to bless in the areas of all these unknowns.  It really seemed a bit foolish, yet what could I do?  What was of paramount importance was to honour God, what after all was the point of asking him for help while dishonouring him and his desires.  In the first instance then I must do as he had asked and obey the governing authorities, in this I had to accept that I was going to be late.  Just because I was late however did not necessarily imply failure.  There were other dimensions that were still unknown and open for God to change – such as those people I was going to see.  So I prayed that God would be at work in the situation with those I was to meet and intervene there to save me.  Having done that, I could then drive on at peace and carefully.

When I arrived at the meeting, it was to find that the people I was going to meet were just showing someone else out of the house.  They were trying to sell their house at the time and someone had turned up unannounced to view the house.  They then had been busy and it would have been difficult for them if I had arrived on time.  In fact, I had arrived at the best time of all: just as these people left.  So, God had answered my prayers.  It was worth respecting his feelings and asking him for help rather than being driven by my fears and desires.

FEAR THE LORD