God‘s Ways are not our Ways

By Mitch Young

Ephesians 5:1-2 reads, “Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, and walk in love as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God” (CSB).

At Maryland City Baptist Church (MCBC), we recently had a few funerals, and, as most of us know, funerals are rather difficult. I mean, they’re nothing that one desires to go through.

But God’s ways are not ours. You see, God brought a young man to visit our church. He had been attending for roughly a month when his girlfriend suddenly passed away. The young man called me and asked if I would officiate the girl’s funeral. I agreed and led the funeral and the graveside service. Through that experience, I had the privilege of meeting the young woman’s family.

Oh, but God wasn’t done!

The following Sunday, the girl’s parents showed up for the worship service. God, you are so good! Her father received Jesus as his Savior and Lord, with tears rolling down his face. But they weren’t tears of sadness; they were tears of joy.

That’s not the end of the story.

Remember the young man who had just started recently attending? He brought his mom to church, and she heard the word of God and, praise God, she received Jesus as her Lord and Savior.

I am so glad I agreed to officiate the funeral. How often do we miss seeing people around us that need Jesus because we are not truly surrendered to walking in love as Christ loved us?

Jesus said, in John 5:17, “… My Father is always about His work to this very day, and I too am working” (NIV).

What would it look like if we asked the Lord to show us people around us who are hurting, broken, and in need of Christ? May we be willing to be His hands and feet and show Christ’s love to them so that Christ would be exalted.

Mitch Young is the senior pastor of MCBC in Laurel.