Met a friend at the gym today who I had been with the day before. We participated in a Memorial Service for a mutual friend at a nursing home. I had the privilege of preaching while my friend covered most of the other details. She and others highlighted special moments they had shared with the deceased woman. It was a blessed time for all who attended.
When she met me at the gym the following day she said she was thankful that God had sent me and my wife her way for that Memorial Service. My response to that was "nothing is ever an accident when it involves the Lord."
I recalled moments of ministry when dozens would show up for some group study. And then the following week maybe a few were able to make the study. The first reaction is typically disappointment. But many times among the few were a powerful move of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the attendees. I recall vowing back then not to dismiss small beginnings or what seems like inconsequential gatherings. My ministry motto has always been ,"It's never an accident who God assembles."
I am convinced today that the neighbors we have are not an accident. The people we work with are not an accident. The family God has provided each of us is not an accident. They are all ordained for a purpose, but determining that purpose is not always easy.
Jeremiah 29:11 says: "For I know the plans I have for you,":declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
When group gatherings are disappointedly small, remember in the midst of smallness are great and Godly plans. So dig deep, persevere, and let the Holy Spirit move.
Robert Parlante
September 2015
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