While I am currently in Odessa, Ukraine, sitting in the sand on a beach on the Black Sea my mind wanders back to a time in Hawaii when the Sovereignty of the Lord was displayed for me. Before this day I will later detail I must inform you on what was my frame of mind. I was in the best place of my life. I was having more fun than ever before worshipping the Lord of all the earth with all my heart, soul, and strength with my best friends I’d ever had. However if there was one negative thought during this time it is this: does the son recognize the voice of the father? Now let me explain. Often in scripture we, born again believers, are referred to as sons of God (Romans 8:14) and are understood to be part of Gods family (Ephesians 2:19). If this analogy is continued, it could be said that just as a son would hear and understand his earthly father, a son should hear and understand his Heavenly Father. However, I was feeling a definitive lack of the audible voice of God in my life and thus I was contemplating: at first my own sonship, then, after I had resolved my own salvation, the validity of this analogy. And this takes me right up to the day I was hanging out with Anna and Sashka, and a new friend that Anna and Sash had met the day before. As we were leaving Kapaa for Lihue, we were going to go to a movie, I come to understand that this guy was an ex Calvary Chapel Kauai Bible College student but had, in the years since completing the program backslide some. As I was driving I get the sudden idea to drive up into the Wailua house lots and show Anna and Sash the view of a waterfall. The drive was short and once we got there Sash, Anna and I admired the waterfall while our friend had slipped into the shadows. After I turn around I am approached by slightly older man, Wailua, that asks if I knew the guy I was with and I respond that I am. Wailua, over the next 10 minutes explains his long time relationship with our new friend, how he had mentored him at KCBC and shortly after that and reminisced on the old pictures of them two laughing and sharing life together. He said all this with a humbled and sorrowful voice as since then he knows that his friend and ex mentee has since chased after the lusts of the world. Wailua suddenly asks if we could all pray for our next friend, and we did exactly this. After thanking Wailua for asking to pray with us and wishing him goodbye I could not get the idea out of my head of a chess board. This wasn’t in any was a vision of sorts but more of a day dream of a symbol of what just happened. Each of the chess pieces are at used at full disclosure of the player, and each of these pieces has no idea what it’s move will be as so much of what dictates it’s own possible maneuver is the position of the other pieces. From piece to piece there is utter confusion. However in the mind of the skilled player, the plan is known from the beginning. God is the player and we are all the pieces he moves to his liking. We may not understand the plan and the amazing working of the Lord while we are being moved. But we put our hope in an all knowing Master who manipulates each piece for his great plan. Seeing the sovereign working of what could only be the Lord in my life greatly fulfilled my polarized spirit, and proved to me to be an awesome example of the great love the Lord has for His children; for me that I would understand His working, and for our friend that he would receive prayer and fellowship and love.
Lord you are awesome in all your ways, totally sovereign working all things for those who love you. God it is the desire of my heart to do your will. Master I pray for obedience in Your subtle promptings and grace wherever Your Almighty hand leads me.
