John the Baptist’s followers asked Jesus, “Are You the One we’ve been expecting?’ … Jesus told them, “Go back and tell John what’s going on: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side.”

~Matthew 11:1-8 MSG

God is on our side. We know this from reading Matthew 11:1-8. We can all recall incidents when we knew God was on our side.

Our Worry

I learned this best when we moved to a new town. We left our dog, Shelby, with a pet sitter—an agonizing but necessary decision—and headed out of town. We needed many details of this move to work out—my husband needed transportation to his new job, the home we purchased needed to close without incident, and we needed a temporary place to stay. All these were necessities I diligently tended to.

However, what I was most concerned about was my dog, Shelby. Could she transition out of the city where she’d been born and raised and live in an entirely new place?

I will provide all of your needs, I inwardly heard God say as I prayed about the situation. Still, I worried.

Shelby’s favorite activity was “fetch.” She was crazy about it. Sometimes, I teased that she lived to play fetch 24-7.

Sitting on the third-floor balcony of the condo we rented while we transitioned, I again expressed my concern: “Father God, this is a huge transition for Shelby. I wish You’d reassure me You have the details worked out.”

God’s Peace

I watched tennis players on the court below lobbing balls over the net. It was mesmerizing. I was thirsty, so I went inside to get some iced tea. Returning to the balcony with my beverage, I noticed that a tennis ball had made it onto the third-story balcony.

“This is incredible, Lord. Did You send this tennis ball up here to show me You are looking out for Shelby?” I felt His inner nod. 

From that moment on, I did not worry about the situation. I was certain Shelby’s favorite toy landing on that third-story balcony was God’s way of showing me He was working out every detail of the move. Knowing this gave me peace.

Friend, we should expect blessings to come our way. God will work out the intricate details that only He can arrange. He will meet all our big and small needs in ways that glorify Him and bring us peace. Our Father takes joy in being involved in the intricate details of our lives.

God is on your side as He is on mine. He loves us. Trust Him. 

Father God, as I recall life incidents when I know You worked out the intricate details of the situation, I remember again Your great love. Thank You. Thank You most of all for sending Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die and rise to life, paying the penalty for sin, and founding the gift of eternal life for true believers. Amen.

Genre: Non-fiction

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