When God Overrules

It has been nearly three years since God moved me and my family from southern California and transplanted us in Sydney.  I can say by God's grace we are looking healthy as a unit, like a well-established tree.  The leaf-casting season was short, and I'm not aware our leaves even drooped as we drew up water through well-tilled earth!  Our roots have shot down deep into good soil, and the loving Body of Christ has been a huge part of that on both sides of the Pacific.  We have had exceptional support from family, friends, and from so many at Calvary Chapel Sydney.  When I think of all God has done from establishing the boys at a great school, strengthening my marriage, and granting us permanent residency, I am in awe.

For almost the entire time our family have been in Australia, we have lived in one house.  It was certainly a God-send, granted at the time we needed it most.  There have been issues scattered over that time with an occasional repair required, but for the most part we have been without complaints.  Of course on those super hot days air conditioning would have been nice, but we've also become more acclimated to Sydney weather!  A couple months ago, we received a notice our rent would be increasing.  Laura decided it would be good to test the renting market and see if we could find a comparable house for less money.  Now I am one of those people who really don't like to move.  I would rather go to the dentist every day for a week than pack everything up, change our address with more people and businesses than I care to count, and deal with the hassle of unpacking, arranging, re-arranging, and hanging pictures.  How long will it take me to learn where things are in the kitchen?  I don't even want to think about it.

For the past couple months, Laura has been checking online, going to open houses, and us boys tagged along for a few.  The more houses we saw, the more I was convinced what we have been paying - even with the increase - was excellent value for money.  So many of the houses we saw were beat up rentals with too many problems:  garages converted to shabby rooms, exterior doors that scraped so hard on the tile they won't open, carpets that resembled a spattered crime scene, and no storage whatsoever.  Even Laura had pretty much resolved to stay at our place, something I was resolved to do before she ever started looking.

But then one house came up which caught Laura's attention.  It was a comparable size and relatively close to the boy's school.  There were some sizable concessions (detached garage without an automatic opener, electric cooktop, and a much older house), but there were also pluses:  single storey, air conditioning, less than a one minute walk to a park, and located in a cul-de-sac with a pool - all for $80 less a week than we had been paying for our current home.  Laura filled out the application and we arrived at the open house Saturday and were greeted by a gaggle of well-dressed prospective renters.  As I saw all the people, I assumed most of those folks were in a far more financially viable position and was fairly confident we wouldn't stand a chance.  At that moment I figured the only way we could have a sniff at the property is if God miraculously opened the door.  And to be honest, I didn't want Him to.

Does that sound bad?  I don't know if it is or isn't.  But I know you can be very honest with God.  Your honesty doesn't offend Him.  Honesty can offend people, but not my heavenly Father!  The fact was, I was very comfortable in our home and did not welcome the aggravation and stress that comes with moving house.  I would be happy to stay in a comfortable, predictable environment and trust for God to provide for our needs right where we were, which He has been graciously doing.  So as I drove away with admittedly selfish motives I prayed, "LORD, I pray we won't get that house.  What a pain to have to move."  Now my wife and I have an agreement we have made with God:  if He opens the door, we will walk through it.  In our minds, the only way the door to renting that property would occur if God opened the door.  I continued on through the day, thinking very little about the property.  Consider my surprise when Laura sent me a text message with three words:  "We got it."  Laura later told me she had just put down a deposit, and we had been chosen out of 25 other applicants.  I was more than surprised.  I was more like, "Oh no!" but not in a bad way.  Obviously God had overruled my plan.  He opened the door to that rental property, and I am delighted to walk through that door.  What are my shortsighted plans compared to God's?

This morning I was laughing to myself.  How ironic that I would uproot my family from San Diego and move to Sydney, only to balk at moving to another suburb!  The fact is, God has every right to order my steps and tell me where to live.  This morning I read in 1 Samuel 22:5:  "Now the prophet Gad said to David, "Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go to the land of Judah." So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth."  Fearing for his life, David had gone to the land of Moab and stayed with the king in his stronghold.  But God sent the prophet Gad to tell David not to remain there, though Saul sought his life, and to go to the land of Judah.  Obediently, David did as God commanded him.  This move certainly required faith for David, seeing as there remained only a step between him and death.  Yet God was gracious to protect and provide for David, as He will for our family as well.  God will never mislead or trick us.  The children of Israel were reliant upon the presence of God leading them in the desert, and the leading of the Holy Spirit is the same for Christians concerning our actions as well as where we live.  Moving for me is an act of faith, and I know God will use it for good.

It is a good thing to consider:  when you are overruled by God, will you choose to obey and rejoice?  For me my joy was not immediate, but I tell you the truth:  what peace, joy, and delight is found when we choose to obey and rest in God's will.  He knows us and the struggles we will face.  He will see us through every one and bring us to His desired end.  It will be difficult at times and it will not always be comfortable.  But what a joy to know that God is leading, directing, and upholding us by His gracious love.  I am praising God for the provision of a place to stay, and I covet your prayers as we prepare to move in the next few weeks.  Glory to God, for He rules over all!