After a lot of hard work, preparation and excitement, we launched our new church building yesterday!
Saturday night at about 1 o’clock, after we were certain everything was in place for the big day, I talked with Father and asked Him to bless the day ahead and please to let it not rain. Our new church has no facilities for the children and we only had gazebos where under they would have their Sunday school. We also made some food and the plan was that we would sit under the trees and enjoy a meal together after the celebration service!
The day started sunny and the people started streaming into the church. When the service started some people were standing outside because there were no more places left inside.
We were overwhelmed by all the people and we were so intensely aware of God’s grace and goodness. Many friend and family came from far to share in our joy and celebrate with us.
Just when I finished preaching, an extremely loud thunder stroke hit the church – some of the children outside even screamed! Amazingly it did not damage the sound system!
After this, showers of rain poured down – my first thought: the poor children. At least there were enough gazebos to stand under. It kept on raining till the end of the service and even while we dished up some food.
That evening I thanked God for one of the best day’s in our ministry thus far. I did however hesitantly ask Him why He allowed it to rain? Why didn’t He honor my prayer request? He could’ve just held it back for an hour and it would have made life much easier and comfortable for us!
He told me to go to one of the chapters that one of our leaders got for the day. It was Isaiah 45. When I got to verse 8 I understood:
Isaiah 45:8(AMP)
8Let fall in showers, you heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down righteousness [the pure, spiritual, heaven-born possibilities that have their foundation in the holy being of God]; let the earth open, and let them [skies and earth] sprout forth salvation, and let righteousness germinate and spring up [as plants do] together; I the Lord have created it.
God allowed showers of righteousness on our church. One of our other leaders also said he experienced that God is saying it is a new beginning – a cleansing and washing away of the old – not only for Salem, but for the whole community of Danville!
Our God is alive, in control, amazing, good, all powerful and extremely good! He sometimes doesn’t honor one prayer, because there is something more significant He want to give us than just our comfort!
Shalom!
Anina
We often forget God has a better plan when we pray. His blessings are wonderful and sometimes he says no to our desires so He can better be glorified
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