ACMA Devo

This morning I’m bringing the devotion at our county’s ministerial meeting/breakfast. I signed up to do this last year. I’m a little anxious. Once upon a time I would have considered it speaking to colleagues, but it doesn’t feel like that. Most of them don’t know me. Some of those who know my name know nothing about my background and nothing about my crime. There will be those who do know me and love me. I will be okay.

Anyway…I thought I’d share my talk with you:
Hi. My name is Tina Hunt and I work with the Transformation Network. I’ve been with TNET in some capacity or other since October 2004. For a large portion of my life, over twenty years, I was a pastor in the Church of the Nazarene. During that time I served in Ohio, Wisconsin, and Missouri. I’d like to share some thoughts with you about a time while we were in Wisconsin.

My husband and I moved to Wisconsin in 1984. Our girls were 2 and 3. The district superintendent offered me an ‘opportunity’ there--which is never to be confused with a church. The year we were there was rich with lessons and growth. Many of the lessons were connected to living with little monetary and people support which caused us to lean hard on God and on each other.

At one point we had voluntarily surrendered our car because we couldn’t afford to make the payments--banks are a little funny that way. My husband’s parents gave us a 1971 Ford Torino. Her name could have been Sarah, for she was old but yet productive.

One day our family piled into the car to go to the park for a picnic, our favorite form of recreation: cheap and nearby and the girls loved it. We stopped at the local grocery for a bag of chips to make our lunch complete. When Nelson came out of the store he noticed leakage under the car. He informed me that we would be heading home because the water pump was going. He nursed the car home and we coasted down the drive and into the garage, where the car died. Nelson put his head down on the steering wheel and announced: “Well, there’s another $25 we don’t have.” And with that he scooped up the girls and headed to the house. We ate our lunch and then they all went off for naptime. Yes, even Nelson napped. He was working nights at a restaurant making $4.10 an hour and I was not being paid by the church or district.

Let me back up in the story for a moment. Three weeks prior to this incident we had the privilege of hosting missionaries Norman and Carol Zurcher on deputation tour. They served in South Africa. We were quite excited because we knew these were rich times. We always loved to hear about the mission work (we sort of related). Our visit was wonderful. The really special thing about the visit was how they encouraged us.

We squeezed as much time together out of our visit as we could and then they were on their way. Their schedule took them on into Canada where at one of their services they mentioned a young couple in Wisconsin that was serving without pay, missing their family, and yet joyful in their calling. Their words about us touched the heart of a woman listening and she felt God prompting her to mail us a check. She put it off, forgot for a bit, and then three weeks later the Spirit reminded her so she dropped a check in the mail.

Okay, jump back to the dead car day. After Nelson and the girls went to bed I sat and read for a bit, watching for the mail to be delivered. It was a highlight of my day. I saw the car pull away and waved to the driver as I walked up the drive to the box. Nelson’s words were still ringing in my ears: another $25 we don’t have.

I pulled the mail from the box and there was a thick brown envelope with a return address of Canada. I opened it and pulled out two paperback books and a handwritten note. The note explained that the sender (whose name is long forgotten) had heard our story from the missionaries and how the Spirit of God prompted her to send a little something to help us out. She apologized for not sending it sooner, but hoped that we could find some use for it. I flipped over the check and could barely read the numbers through the tears: it was made out for $25.

Now, I’m not sure how things go at your house, but if that check would have come one day sooner it would have been spent on something else: food or diapers, most likely. Her check wasn’t late at all. It was right on time and just what we needed.

Turn with me for a moment to Acts 10 and read a story that mirrors God’s ability to be right on time. (Talk through 1-22)

Look back with me at verse 19. I have read this passage a gazillion times and as I was preparing for this I noticed a word in a new way: Meanwhile. That’s the word I want us to grab onto today. In Peter’s situation God was orchestrating people and circumstances to build His church and Kingdom. Do we believe He can do the same today?

In a few weeks my husband faces surgery to fuse his ankle. It’s out-patient and therefore not considered major. (The only time surgery is minor is when it is happening to someone you don’t know.) This comes about as the result of an accident three years ago. God was in the business of orchestrating then. The job he was working on when he was hurt was the reason we moved to Ashland. We had no reason to look beyond that job, but accepting it was the step that brought me back to a place of ministry. I fully believe that God was working one of his “meanwhile” miracles at that time. So, I have to believe that, even though this latest development looks very dark and scary, God is still in control. It’s not easy. Nelson will be off work for 12-16 weeks. I can’t see out that far. But I know the one who does. And everything in my life and in His word tells me He can be trusted. He has all that I need and He’ll be right on time.