Snow Globe
I was reading in Luke and came to Chapter 22:13, which says:
“They left and found things just as Jesus had told them.
So they prepared the Passover.”
Jesus told Peter and John to go and prepare the Passover and they didn’t know where to go. Jesus told them to look for a man with a water jar, then follow him to a house and ask the owner to use the guest room.
I stopped when I read that and asked God two questions:
1. What ways have You prepared the way for me in the past?
2. What are You preparing for me in the future?
Recounting things I have walked through in my life, I can see how God had prepared the way, even though I may not have been aware of it at the time. I would have loved to have had a checklist like Peter and John did. How about you?
Here’s one example: I did not want to move to Texas. Dean knew it was our next step. The girls were up for it. Ben could not come because we were going to be House Parents at a maternity home. We had to leave our little Yorkie, Ziva. I was outvoted. And as with everything in life, it was a mixed bag of nuts. What I learned as life moved forward is that God truly had prepared this place for us. All my kids found their loves here. I was in the best medical place to be at when diagnosed with MS and Lupus. Dean and I have been able to step into areas and see God move in us and through us. We have a great community of people around us. We have grown in the richness of experiences and in our love and understanding of God.
I am overwhelmed by all the ways that have shown God’s expression of His goodness and faithfulness!
Can you recount ways that God had prepared a situation or place for you?
Take a moment to thank Him for that.
Lately, I have felt that someone took the snow globe of my life, turned it upside down and shook really, really hard! I think all the pieces are starting to settle and we can finally see a little more clearly. I don’t mean it in a way that everything is bad. Good or bad. Blessing or trial. Life can just get topsy-turvy.
As you know, I was doing a devotion during Advent last year and one journal prompt was, “What would be the best Christmas present this year?” My answer was that Jess, Justin and the kiddos would come home from Maine. Well, here we are 2 months later and it’s a reality. Shake the snow globe.
After we had to put our sweet Ziva down back in 2021, we would talk about names and what kind of dog we would like someday. Eventually, Dean was more ready than me to start looking around for another sweetie to call ours. A couple of weeks ago, Dean started talking to a couple he knows about their litter of Bichon Poodles. When Dean showed me a picture of our Tali, I just cried. She was everything I was drawn to and the exact color I loved. No one knew that but God. We picked her up this last Monday. Now we have three giggly kiddos running around with a very-excited-not-steady-on-her-feet puppy. Shake the snow globe.
I may not have the check list Peter and John had, but I am loving this moment of stopping and looking for how God has prepared the way ahead of us.
As I look at the unknown and definitely uncertain future, my prayer has been: ”Abba, continue to prepare the way ahead of us and show me what to look for as I step out in obedience to You.”
Because, what if Peter and John didn’t follow the man with the jug or ask the owner for a room? What if they only followed the man but didn’t ask the owner?
There are always steps that God has for us to take that lead us to what He has for us. We need to listen and obey.
We used to tell our kids, “Be first-time listeners.” Do I follow that in my walk with God? Do you?
I know that I can do better.
One last thought about why this Scripture means a lot to me right now…
There have been times when I felt forgotten by God or left out of what He was doing around me. Luke 22:13 tells me He is always ahead of me, working and moving.
As we move forward with our day, let’s remember how much we are loved, seen and that God is preparing what we need for our next step. I find great comfort in that no matter how much the snow globe is shaken! After all, it’s when the snow globe is shaken that it looks the prettiest.
I hope you are encouraged and have an amazing day!
All My Love ~
Jodi
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