It is now two weeks since we experienced the destructive fire that destroyed our maintenance facility. Since that time we have been able to clear away the clutter and are beginning to see signs of a new beginning.
We did not seek to be in this position, yet this position continues to be ideal for showing those who do not think there is a God who He is and what His people are like. It also gives us a tremendous platform, for a time. to proclaim God’s goodness to his people and give them an opportunity to share in God’s work here on earth.
I have now been serving here at Silver Birch Ranch for over 48 years. Since 1981 I have been in a leadership position. In the early years I went to many conferences and seminars that were designed to help us understand how to raise money, make plans and insure the future of the ministry.
I was given books by prominent leaders, both Christian and secular, sent to time management classes, fund and friend raising seminars and told to read and understand the book “How To Win Friends and Influence People.”
In retrospect, It seems all the seminars, classes and exhortations focused on what I could do rather than on what God could do. It seemed like we focused on the methods more than the principles, the symptoms more than the cause and the urgent more than the important.
This morning I was reading in the book of Joshua and sat and thought about things. For what it is worth, here are my thoughts.
And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “ Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there. And it was told to the king of Jericho, “Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.
(Joshua 2:1-2 ESVST)
What’s with the spies? Why not just have God give instructions and get to it?
God’s desires us to know Him.The spies were able to position the Children of Israel so they could clearly see God. They were able to include more people from the inside of the city that would have, otherwise, totally missed God’s plans and purposes.
I think we should plan in order to see how impossible it is so that when God acts, it is obvious to all. Perhaps many Christian organizations plan incorrectly in that they plan what is feasible instead of what is possible. I wonder how many of us have missed out on what God is up to because we trying to figure it out rather than trying to position ourselves to clearly help others figure Him out.
God never asks us to do something we cannot do, He only asks that we do what we should and can do. I should know Him and knowing Him will change everything about how I do this thing we call life. I should plan, not so that I can be in the realm of feasibility, but so that I can be in the realm of possibility.
We as a staff at Silver Birch Ranch need to continue to rejoice in the position we have and continually be looking for ways to use this position to learn more of who God is and to help others see Him clearly.
Two weeks after the fire the fire site is almost cleaned up, a temporary facility has the skeleton up and waiting for its skin and God has been clearly demonstrated. All of this while the normal function of Silver Birch Ranch continues in a way that our guests would never recognize we even have such a challenge.
God is older than us, smarter than us and loves us. We can trust Him.
I thank God for each of you and the role you have and are playing in turning this tragedy into triumph by rejoicing in the Lord and looking for Him to show Himself.
It is a privilege to be your leader, your friend and brother. In a strange kind of way, It may not get any better than this on this earth.
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