Rivers in the Desert

The Sovereignty of God & Old Fords

Somewhere behind me, someone was slamming on their horn, their patience wearing thin.  The starter wouldn’t even click as I frantically turned the key and for some reason no matter what I tried I couldn’t get the transmission into neutral.  It was stuck in park.  “Lord, please… please… let the van start!”  I said out loud, over and over again.  All at once, the precariousness of one hot afternoon in Juarez seemed to come to this culminating point, here on the other side of the Santa Fe bridge in downtown El Paso, surrounded by a sea of people annoyed with the heat; perturbed with the preceding long wait to get there and now frustrated with this sweaty American now babbling to himself (seemingly) blocking most of the right lane of their only quick escape from downtown in a giant ancient van.  Somewhere miles away in a warm one room Juarez church sat Lori and the kids, now most of the way through the church service and wondering when I was to return.  Miles in an entirely different direction the hood of Jose Luis’ van sat open, now cooled down, surrounded by a crowd of fellow church attendees, waiting for the Gringo in the big van to return with Jose Luis and a radiator fan motor.  “Lord, PLEASE, PLEASE, IN JESUS NAME, start this STUPID VEHICLE!!!  AAARGH!”  Nothing!

“Do you need help?  I’ll help push you!”  In Spanish, breaking through the panic of the moment and softening the shrill of horns beside me and the angry looks and gestures of those wise enough to drive around me.  I tried to explain in broken Spanish that I couldn’t get the van into neutral and that he couldn’t help.  My cell phone erupted from the console, “Brother, where are you?” Jose Luis questioned, obviously tired of waiting.  “Pray Jose Luis, the van won’t start!”  I said, hanging up.  And my new friend was gone.  Working the key, fiddling with wires, under the dash and praying out loud, the Lord’s beautiful sovereign will poured out and the van was in neutral.  “PRAISE GOD!”  I said out loud and from out of nowhere to men were pushing the van.  We found a parking place just around the corner.  My friend had returned to help push.

God’s sovereignty as it plays out can be a wonderfully frustrating thing.  Specifically, in relation to our own expectations and what we think to be a cost too unreasonable.  Hours earlier, the building wave of whining children, anxious and uptight preparations built to a crescendo with a mad rush down the highway towards church in Juarez.  I had prayed, as we often do, that God would launch us into ministry, that He would use us and that we would have a good time.  It had been two weeks since we were able to attend church and I was INSISTENT on getting there on time to practice with the worship team.  I had spent the entire day in frustration as NOTHING had come together; as every one of my children whined in their own lovely way about having to go to church; as the glass light cover fell for no explicable reason on Joes head and shattered on his tile floor scattering glass all over their floor and the hour it took to clean it and the 3 tons of accumulated toxic waste; as Tatyanna and I had spent 3 hours crying and discussing the pain of moving away from her home and friends; as … as … well you have the idea.  My attitude had seen MUCH better days.  “Mike, this is Georgia… uh… we have a situation.”  “Ok, well what’s up!?!” I retorted.  “Jose Luis and Cristina’s van is broken down.  I don’t know who to call.  They need some part for their van, could you call him and find out what they need… I know your on your way to church… please?”  “WHERE ARE THEY GEORGIA?” “Anapra… at their church.”  “Fine I’ll take them the part.”

There is a fine distinction between “Radiator fan” and “Radiator fan motor”.  Especially, if you’re not happy and being short with someone on a cell phone.  I didn’t know that I had purchased the wrong part until I was driving along the tree-lined “river-road” through Juarez on our way to church.  “NO Brother, not the fan… the fan MOTOR!” Jose Luis snapped at me.  It was this stupid mistake on my part and the 2pm closing time of all Juarez auto parts stores that had landed me now squarely in the midst of God’s wonderful plan on the side of the road, in downtown El Paso, wondering what the heck I was going to do.  That’s when I saw our friend, Rafa (the names have been changed to protect the fragile and forgetful mind of yours truly).  Rafa, a “Ranchero”, wore a huge cowboy hat with, huge belt buckle, gold chains, gold teeth and alligator skin boots.   He smiled and asked me in Spanish if I had gas in the tank.  Of course I had gas.  He made the suggestion that perhaps it was overheated and so I should let it sit with the hood up.  I did, so we stood there.

I’ve learned long ago to look at car problems, or long waits in line, etc as opportunities to share Jesus.  Depending on the day, my comfort with the language, I take these when I can.  We spoke about the law of God, sin, death and of Christ’s death on the cross, His resurrection and of faith.  He smiled even bigger and soaked it up.  Rafa listened intently to the Gospel and took a Bible excitedly and left.  The Holy Spirit had moved in his heart and his walk with Jesus has seemingly begun.  The Lord caused me to laugh at all that brought me to this place and time and of my foolish frustration.  I did indeed laugh and smile and know that the van would start right up.  So I got in and the man who had originally offered to help came over to my window.  He told me in Spanish that he had been standing there praying for our conversation.  We exchanged the joy of the work of the Lord.  Of course the van started right away and we prayed and worshiped the Lord together right then and there.

Jose Luis was able to drive his family home and I showed up at the church just after dark with many folks hanging out.

To finish this testimony off, I must share a bigger picture, because I wasn’t the only one having a hard day.   Jose Luis had ridden with me to the bridge, forgotten his visa to get into the states and therefore had to wait for me at the bridge.  However, he was also not feeling good.  In this and his frustration with my stupidity, Jose Luis boarded a bus back to his van.  On the bus, a number of Christian women prayed with him.  Additionally, we had taken Daniel Young in with us.  He was grouchy and didn’t even want to go into Mexico.  But after church, we were invited by Lori’s good friend Betty to eat at their home.  This too, was a gift from the Lord for Lori as she had been hoping for time with Betty.  Daniel had “His favorite time in Juarez.”  Joe (my son) was able to spend time with his good friend Eduardo.  Jacob (also my son) freaked out and started trying to speak Spanish with many people.

Finally, the point:

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” – Romans 8:28
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:10

What a joy it is to know that God is working all things together for us, that we might grow more like His Son, Jesus and that He has sovereignly ordained all things to come to pass in such a way that even our most frustrating steps are set before us that we might enjoy the good works, that He set before us.  Because we have been created in Christ Jesus, and therefore it is all Him, and not us and the works themselves are a great part of His divine grace to us.  – Mike