It was 11am on Monday 19th November 2012, and I was standing outside the US embassy in London waiting in line for my 6 month US visitors visa appointment. I was nervous. I guess the London rain didn’t help as we first all had to wait outside the embassy and get security checked in. But at least I had my umbrella! For the first time in a long time I had faith that God had spoken to my family and I and was directing us to move away from the UK for a season to Washington State, US. We had some of Abbey’s family there, a few friends that we knew and a wonderful church community that we would discover.
Its was quite intimidating standing outside the embassy. You realize you are coming before official people protecting their country! Armed police were at every entrance and exit to the building. CCTV cameras were everywhere. But most of all there was a real sense of awe and legal authority in that place. The national flag and iconic american bald eagle emblem all stand before you as you enter the embassy. Not anybody can just walk in and ask for a visa to the country. You need to meet a lot of criteria, fill out a lot of forms, and having an american wife greatly helps!
As confident as I was that God was involved in all this, I still felt nervous, rehearsing my lines for the anticipated questions that I would be asked! I was dressed well, wanting to give off a respectable impression to the embassy. I kept praying while in the line, ‘Lord what if I don’t get this visa? Lord give me a very nice person to interview me. Help me not to say the wrong thing and blow it somehow.’
Who’s in control anyway?
As I look back I question who was in control of my paths, future and destiny? On one hand this embassy was the make or break for moving forwards. However on the other hand the bible says that our lives, paths and future are in God’s control when we are following his plan.
“… for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” (Acts 5:38, 39 ESV)
The bible is filled with countless stories of God opening ‘doors’ for his people when it seemed humanly impossible. Look at how God opened up the way for Moses standing before the great Red Sea (see my earlier blog on this – http://wp.me/p4eE28-k). Then there is Joshua trying to move forwards to the promised land but Jericho was blocking them. Again God made a way forward. What about the apostle Paul locked in prison and an angel sent from God opened the cell, and out Paul walked!
God’s plans are unstoppable
What stands out to me from the Acts 5:38 verse quoted above are the words, ‘if it is of God…’. In Acts 5:38, the basic issue was, – if what the apostles were doing in preaching the gospel was just their own desire and plan, it would fail. But if what they were doing was in line with God’s purpose and will, nothing was going to succeed in stopping it!
“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” (Proverbs 19:21 ESV)
One door at a time
Often God does not reveal to us his whole plan. I wish he would! I wish he would tell me exactly what he is doing and where he is leading and the timing for the next 50 years of my life. I would like him to download all his plans and sync them from the ‘cloud’ to my iPad calendar, but its not like that! God most often reveals just ‘one door’ at a time for us to begin walking through. We don’t know what the next steps or the other doors ahead of us are, but thats ok. That’s what living by faith is all about. We are no longer in control of our lives now. We are following Jesus Christ and his plans for us. Life is now about following Him… right? Jesus is our LORD… right? This means we no longer lead, but rather He leads and we follow him with glad and joyful hearts.
The doors opened!
Well, back to my story at the embassy. After a three hour wait I finally had my appointment/interview and successfully was granted my six month visitors visa to the US! I felt such a real relief as I got it. We were finally moving forwards. Not in the direction I had every imagined or would have chosen but God was leading us to where he wanted us to be for the next season of our lives.
Not only did this door open, but as a result of saying ‘yes Lord’ to what we felt was his leading, many other essential doors opened for us. We would need a free home to live in for 6 months, and God provided us that through the generosity of our dear friend and mother – Diane Segars! We would need thousands of pounds if we were going to embark on this adventure as neither Abbey or I would be able to work (at least not for a year)! Again within a few weeks of getting the visa we began to receive gifts of money in envelopes through our front door! We had struggled financially for a long time before this point, but funny how once we were moving with God’s new direction, all these gifts suddenly arrived and not before that.
Are we following our plans or God’s?
Maybe right now is good moment to stop and ponder on your life and what you are doing and pursuing. Are you following God’s plan for your career/retirement or your own plans? What about where you are living? Does God have another place for you to be? Maybe God is calling you to adopt a child but you can’t see how this would be possible financially or practically. Remember if it ‘is of God‘ he will make a way! Maybe there are other big decisions in your life to make.
If you are pursuing something that ‘is of God’ you can rest knowing he will make it happen as you walk with him. The journey there maybe long and hard! But be patient, and don’t get discouraged. God is with you, and he does have a plan for your life!
Christ our Hope 