In His Time

In yesterday’s blog I told you about how God answered our prayer in seeking His will regardinging our coming to Lititz. However, our prayer request concerning our daughter was not the only specific request we had asked for. There were actually two churches that had shown an interest in us at the time. As we visited both of these churches we asked God for this…“Father, as we leave each of these ministries after these visits, please make it absolutely clear to both of us if we should continue to puruse either of them or if we should graciously withdraw our name from all consideration.”

We actually visited a church in Ohio first. This was a wonderful group of people in leadership and the church seemed very exciting and strong. It also was within easy driving distance to Ohio State University…Hey, that was a huge plus for me! However, as we left this church at the end of our visit, before we ever got out of the driveway, Laura and I looked at each other and both agreed, we were 100% sure that this was not where God was leading us. God had answered our prayer.

Next would be our trip to Lititz. Our prayer request was the same. We had a wonderful 4-day visit and were feeling very much like this was the place that God wanted us to puruse. But the final piece of the puzzle to confirm this came at the end of the Sunday morning service. The service ended with the congragtion singing the song, “In His Time.” Frankly, I cannot remember our singing that song once in the nearly 2.5 years since I have been the pastor here at Lititz. Why was this song so special?

Of all the worship songs ever written, none has more meaning to Laura and I than this one. We actually had it sung at our wedding. You see, before Laura and I met, she went through a very difficult broken engagement. It was during this time of hurt and despair that God used a verse in the Bible to promise her in her heart that in His time, she would find true love that leads to marriage. The verse was from Ecclesiastes that says, “He makes all things beautiful in His time.” And that is exactly what He did!

As the Grace Church congregation stood and sang that beautiful song of worship, we stood there and just wept. It was as if God were screaming down to us…“This is my will!” Laura and I will always look back to that moment as the exact time when we realized that we would be moving to Lititz.

In His time
In His time
He makes all things beautiful
In His time
Lord please show me every day
As Your teaching me Your way
That You do just what You say
In Your time