Playing With Jesus

In about an hour Brenda, two friends from Paradise and me are headed west to Seminole to pack up the rest of the contents of our house. For nine months we have prayed to sell the house. A few have looked at it but in nine months we had only one offer and those people rejected our counter offer.

We are leasing our house for the next year to a family transitioning to Seminole. Until April 1, 2013 our house will be off the market. I have peace about this. Even more so after the story I heard on Thursday. Sit back and let me retell it to you. It puts a lot of things in perspective.

Several months ago I received a phone call from a couple who had looked at the house. They loved it. The only problem is they did not have all their financing in order. I talked with the husband and even told him the story about how God worked miracles of provision for my family to be able to get into that house. I never heard back from him. I thought he had lost interest.

Thursday I received a phone call from a coach and dear friend from Seminole. He told me before I sold my house I had to hear this story. When the above mentioned family looked at our house months ago they loved it. While they were looking at it their little girl played outside in the backyard. This is not unusual until I tell you what happened next.

When the parents called their girl to leave she said she couldn't. They called her again and she replied, "I can't. I am playing with Jesus." The parents could tell she acted like she played with somebody invisible.

Now you might write this off as fanciful thinking of a child. I on the other hand take this more seriously for a couple of reasons. First, is child like faith. I think children can relate to Jesus on a level many adults can't or don't.. I do not doubt that little girl played with the resurrected real Jesus in my back yard. I don't doubt this on a second level. I know Jesus rules over that house. I cannot tell you how much prayer went into my family buying that house. Most every room has some picture or framed scripture verse hanging on the walls.

The day we closed on the house I went there and sat on the back porch and dedicated that house to the Lord. I asked him to make it a place of ministry. In that house we entertained people from the church. We built and established relationships there over meals. In that house our children played with friends and sleepovers. I sought the Lord in that house hours on end in my recliner in the living room. At times I prostrated myself on the carpet pleading for more of God. Jesus Christ rules and dwells in that home.

I only lived in that house for nineteen months. For nineteen months we did not take that house for granted. We thanked God for his blessing. We rejoiced in His bountiful provision for the Edwards family. And then God called us to leave. Leaving that house was and continues to be difficult. The last time I stepped foot in that house I sat in a lawn chair in the garage and wept for an hour. So much I do not understand.

Sacrificing that house has been one of the most difficult things about starting Faith Community Church second only to leaving so many wonderful church members and friends behind. Hearing the story about the little girl playing with Jesus brought things into perspective. God has not sold our house for at least two reasons. The family leasing our house started a new business. While the father has lived in Seminole getting the business off the ground his family has not been able to join him yet. I remember what that felt like when I first came to Paradise and Brenda and three of the boys stayed in Seminole for six weeks. God is reuniting a family until they decide where they will live permanently. I also think God is giving the family with the girl who played with Jesus more time to get their finances in order. I see the bigger picture. Could God be reserving our home for them.

Many times I have relied on Is 55:8-9. "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts nor are your ways My ways,' declares the Lord.  'For as the heavens are higher than the earth so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts from your thoughts.'" Many times I have thought of the ways of God as mysterious and I have not always understood what He was doing. I wanted the house to sell quickly. God already has a buyer appointed and in my estimation He played and danced with a little girl in my back yard. I want to sell my house to that family so she can dance and play with Jesus more.