And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and soul: Acts 4:32

Are you already weary this morning though it’s scarcely noon? In the storms of USA 2021, are you hungry for some  good news? Well, I have story to lift your spirits today and remind us of the providential God we serve. It’s a good one.

One of my dear friends Marlene (who was my Bible Study teacher} and her husband made the decision this summer  to leave McCall and move to Arkansas. Now I’m not sure of their reasons except they got tired of the long, cold,  snow dumping winters here, had lived in Arkansas  previously and had recently visited.  They’d been considering moving elsewhere for a number of years but always changed their minds because they also loved McCall.  But not in January.  She told me, “This year when the snow was still piled up around the house in May, I had enough and said to my husband,’ let’s move to Hot Springs’.” He agreed and the decision was made. Their house  sold very quickly and they found a new home in Hot Springs almost as fast.  A moving company was arranged, a huge deposit was made and they had a date to leave. I had lunch with her and two other women from our original Bible Study group because the move was going to be immediate. We laughed, cried and were happy for her because she and her husband  would be a blessing to all who met them. We all talked about their exciting new adventure. 

The story turns ugly. They drove to Arkansas last week fully expecting to arrive in time to meet the moving truck who’d help them unload. However, the truck  never showed up at their McCall home. Several days passed with no movers in sight and their deposit  gone. The new home owners became angry  because they couldn’t take possession of the house. They threatened to sue if the house wasn’t emptied by Sunday evening.  What a mess, right? My friends were desperate so a friend who’d heard about the problem offered  the use of a garage bay  for their belongings. She  suggested  they contact their church, Elk Creek, for help which they did.

Last Sunday afternoon church volunteers showed up to help so that by 6:00 everything was moved into  the garage. Neighbors watched and were amazed. My friend writes.” God’s love was on display on Woodlands Drive on Sunday.” And even better? The same generous friends  flew to Boise and  picked up two rental trucks to load up the furniture. They’ll leave tomorrow for Hot Springs.

This is not just a feel good story of an awful disaster which somehow turns out OK. It’s testimony of how the New Testament Church of Jesus is to be in the world.  The Lord commanded,

By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35

Jesus said everyone, that is the world, would know Whom we’re following by the nature of our love.  But there is an  if… If  we love as He loves us.  Love is neither sentimental nor selfish nor a feeling subject to an unreliable, biological  body.  Even today’s love obsessed pagans believe in  eros , love which sexual and solely self centered.   Jesus destroys that  notion. Christian love is unconditional. It is based on Jesus’ displaying the love of the Father, not on ourselves. It makes a choice to love another and that choice precedes  behavior and the actions we take as a result.  The early church understood how to live out  Christ’s commandment. So did Elk Creek Church last Sunday. Praise God for their obedience!

We’ll never know how many unbelievers this story will touch in our Jerusalem and in Marlene’s new Samaria.  We’ll never know how many lost, hopeless and broken souls find God’s love and grace as my friend  shares her story with strangers. May the harvest be to God’s glory.

Oh and the moving company? They’ve disappeared, but the funds for the  deposit are back in my friends’ account.

I can’t say it better than Marlene. “ Can you believe the story? Only God can arrange these things and make something wonderful out evil.” Amen and amen. I can’t wait for the next  chapter.

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