Blogger Friend School Assignment #27 {My Favorite Bible Story}

Nancy writes:  Hello everyone!  I thought it would be nice to get to know one another's Favorite Bible Story...not necessarily a story in the Bible but the story of what your favorite Bible verse or story is and why.  This will probably be a very easy assignment for us all but with warmer weather well on it's way, I know how hard it is to stay indoors, even for school work.  (Head over to Nancy's Nook, the blog home of Blogger Friend School, to participate and to read other assignments)

 

I do have a verse that has become somewhat of a favorite of mine - Acts 17:26 - and there is a story behind it.  In 1993, DH and I moved from western Canada to southern New Jersey with our then one-year-old son.  There is a whole 'nother story in how everything was worked out in a series of God-incidents (not coincidences!) for us to acquire the necessary visas and move; but that's for another time.   Anyway, we moved across the continent and settled in as best we could, found a local church home, and did our best to get involved and make friends.  It really went very well, but of course there were many times when I was lonely and discouraged, especially after our second son was born in 1994. (it wasn't his fault, he was a very good baby!!) DH and I had a small Bible Study group we were leading at the time, and one evening our study guide directed us to a Scripture passage in Acts.  I don't know any more what the lesson was about, or what Scripture we were supposed to read, but I remember skimming either before or after that reference to try and get a context and read this in the middle of Paul's speech in Athens:

From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.

That was the perfect reminder I needed that God was in control.  We had followed His leading in our decision to accept the job offer to DH, and had gone through the doors He had opened to get us to that place.  And God had determined exactly where we should live, and the times we should live there.  After that, Paul goes on to say:

God did this so men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.  'For in Him we live and move and have our being.' 

While its true that we already knew God, its entirely possible that someone we came in contact with during our time there didn't, or didn't know God as fully as they could.  I know we certainly did draw closer to the Lord in those days!  Only God knows all the reasons and purposes for placing each of us where we are, we may not know until we reach heaven what those purposes are.  But I believe that we should always be seeking Him and encouraging others to seek Him as well, and remember that He knows where we are and has prepared good works in advance that we are to do.  (that's in Ephesians 2:10)

 

After a few years in New Jersey, we moved to Maryland, and have had some ups and downs in our experiences here as well.  When I have 'one of those days' where I wonder why I'm here or what good I'm doing, I try to remember that even my address is not just by chance.