“Every detail of our lives of love

for God is worked into something

good.”

Romans 8:28 MSG

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The Works of His Hands

by Debbie Allen

My eighty-eight- year-old parents have lived next door to my husband and I for nearly twenty-five years.  I do my writing from a garden-level library with a window that overlooks the front of my parent’s house and their driveway. Though I don’t consider myself to be a peeping neighbor; I do often see their comings and goings throughout the day.  More than once, I’ve looked up from my desk to see my dad take an unexpected fall; and had the chance to run over and help him back up on his feet. Other times, if I see their cars haven’t moved from the driveway by noon on any given day; I know the chances are good that one of them is under the weather. That’s my clue to pop-in, unannounced, with a meal or a loaf of banana bread. The times I see my dad backing his car up the driveway, I know the backend of it is loaded with groceries; that I can easily unload and carry-in for them. Over the years, I’ve come to think of my library window as my “window of opportunity, because through it, God provides me a divinely inspired glimpse into my aging parents’ world; revealing unexpected opportunities for me to meet some of the immediate needs they struggle with. Things my dad would never consider asking for help with.

Most recently, I peered out that window and saw a strange sight.  My dad’s old, Mazda van was abandoned at the bottom of their driveway, its hood facing the street. Alongside it were fresh tire tracks in our lawn; indicating my dad’s rushed decision to make a new way in and out of his driveway for their second car. Though I cringed at the very thought of him driving on the lawn, I hoped it was only a temporary solution! Two days later and still there was no sign of “AAA” towing.  By the time the third day rolled around, Dad hinted to my husband, Jim, it would be alright for him to do some troubleshooting on the deceased Mazda. Graciously, Jim accepted the challenge, as he always does.

Toolbox in hand, Jim popped the hood on Dad’s van, staring into the ocean of possibilities it might be.  He checked the battery first. Each time he tried to start it; nothing happened.  Jim shut the hood, perplexed; came back to our house to research old Mazda maladies on the internet. Nothing helpful turned up.  As I watched him through my library window, attempting a second round of troubleshooting; I prayed God would “give him wisdom to diagnose the problem and eyes to see more clearly.”  I barely uttered, “amen” walking back to my desk, when I heard the Mazda hood slam and the humming sounds of that lifeless engine running!  Jim came bounding in the front door, brimming and shaking his head. 

“I can’t believe I didn’t see it before! The battery was the first thing I checked…but I only wiggled one of the cables; and it was the other cable that was loose!”

Sharing a moment of laughter together, and the words of my prayer; neither of us could deny the reality of the miracle of answered prayer we’d been a part of.  There is an unquestionable beauty to be found in every answered prayer…no matter how great or how small.  Beauty that points us straight to the Heart of God; highlighting His complete willingness to step away from running the Universe, to bend low and listen when we cry out to Him in need.  In light of God’s great readiness towards us; why are we, then, so reluctant to step away from the stuff we fill our days with; to become the small miracle God asks us to be in the lives of those He sets before us?  Perhaps it’s because we know that God’s Agendas often lead us further out from our comfort zones than our hearts, on their own, are willing to venture?

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“Why are we so reluctant to become God’s miracle in another’s life? Perhaps it’s because we know that God’s Agendas often lead us further out from our comfort zones than our hearts, on their own, are willing to venture.”

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Over the years, what started out as just a library window on the north end of my house; has proven itself to be my own personal window of opportunity.  More specifically, it’s served as both my doorway to good deeds, and my gateway to prayer.    Somewhere between all the earthly struggles I’ve witnessed there, and God’s faithful answers to the prayers I’ve uttered before it; my faith has been strengthened over and over again.

As we enter into the Easter season, I challenge you to think of the one-of-a-kind, Window of Opportunity that Jesus looked through, while He walked on this earth.  The level of distress concerning what He saw when He peered through His Window, drove him to His knees one night.  There, in the Garden of Gethsemane, prostrate over a rock; He trembled as He prayed.  Jesus wept. He sweat great drops of blood, in anguish over the thought of facing death on the cross for the sins of all humanity. He pleaded with His Father in heaven saying,” Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:42 NIV) Jesus never once, considered pulling the shade down on His Window, because of what He saw on the other side of it. Your face and mine.  He chose to trust God’s will over His own, and because of it… you and I can now have eternal life for the asking!

As we face our own windows of opportunity in this life, I pray we daily find the strength to keep our eyes pointed Godward; trusting that His divine agendas should always supersede our own calendars.  Jesus calls us to run toward those in need, not shut them out. Never will we be any more like Jesus in this world than when we willingly go where He sends us; stepping into the lives of hurting people, lifting up the fallen, and reflecting love and restoration to the broken.  Biblical Love can only be measured in sacrificing for the good of others. Jesus put it this way:

“…yet not my will, but Yours be done.”

 (Luke 22:42b CSB)

PRAYER: Most Gracious, Heavenly Father…As I enter into every new day; grant me eyes to see the work of Your Hands in my life and in the lives of those You’ve surrounded me with.  Send me the strength I need to walk in Your Footsteps…to do what it is You’ve called me to do.  Teach me to recognize Your very Presence in my life.  Instill Your Love for others in my heart; especially where my own family is concerned.  Fill me with courage enough to lift up the fallen, lighten their loads and restore the broken. Keep us all from the temptation of pulling the shades down on our windows of opportunity.  Thankyou Jesus, for the life-changing privilege of being Your Hands and Your Feet on earth; so that others might know Your Sacrificial Love too.  Bless the work of our hands for the good of others and for Your Glory!

In Jesus’ Beautiful Name we pray…AMEN