This month, as part of my(Jason) birthday present from the family, I was able to take a motorbike trip with some friends for a few days. Winding mountain roads, trees all around, wind, sun and the quiet space of my helmet help to refresh my soul.
After spending weeks planning the trip, a few days before we were scheduled to leave we had to rearrange our route to accommodate one of the guys coming. My initial reaction was one of frustration, partly because we had already made plans to stop in and visit one of my Thai friends who had moved back to his village last year to start a church. This change in the plan would have us arriving in his village on a different day, and I didn’t know if it would still work for him. Looking back, I should have been more accepting of this change, realizing that maybe God was working Himself into our trip in a special way.
On the last night of the trip, we made it to my friends village and settled in to enjoy the evening with him. After he cooked us dinner, in the quiet of the village, under the star studded sky looking up at the cross on his roof, we worshiped our Creator together. All of our cultures and languages were unified as we sat in awe of how good God is.
Sitting around talking after that, we found out that he had a church planting meeting the next morning to attend. It was now 12 hours before the meeting was to start and he didn’t know how he was going to get there. It was an hour and a half away. I’m sure you can guess what happened next. We looked on the map and saw that his meeting was right on our way back to Chiang Mai.
So, early the next morning, we ate apple fried rice together, and then he climbed on the back of my motorbike so we could take him to his meeting. As we were riding, I couldn’t help but be amazed at how God had worked this out. A change of plans that at first had me frustrated, ended in me once again being in awe of how much God cares about us and works things for our good. It was just another reminder to keep my trust in Him and Him alone.
When we set out on our ride I knew it would be refreshing and fun, but it ended up being so much more. It ended up being an invitation to be encouraged, and to rest in God’s love and care. To trust Him and to seek Him first. But, isn’t that just how God likes to work?!
Is there an area of your life that God is inviting you to rest in His love and care, and trust that He has you?