God Has Put Us Here

Here is where God has put us.  While some may say God has nothing to do with where the here part of our life exists, there are also those who live convinced that there is nothing about our life which is chance, or coincidence.  Of course, there are times when we find the here part of our life so cluttered with very difficult cirumcstances that it is hard for us to imagine that God would have anything to do with either putting us in such a place, or allowing us to live there.  His ways are often hard for us to understand and to simply embrace whatever way He brings into our life is for some too big a stretch for something as simple as faith.   

There are many Biblical stories which enable us to see the faithful in strange places and in the midst of hard circumstances.  Jacob found himself in such a place after his act of deceit with Essau, Daniel ended up in a den of lions, David lived for a time on the run out of fear for what Saul might do, Mary and Joseph lived in a community which no doubt looked at her pregnancy as something which was shameful, and the disciples often encountered reproach and danger as they moved into the world after Pentecost.  God does not always put us in safe places.  Neither does He always insure that our faithfulness keeps us from harm and danger.    

It is true for us as well.  The here part of our life may not in the moment be something we would choose, but for some reason and purpose it is where God may be allowing us to live.  We may not be able to see in the present moment the divine rationale, or maybe we can and it is just hard to accept.  Regardless, our lives are always inside a plan He has for us.  Sometimes the plan may include a hard moment which has such shaping power that it will affect every relationship and every set of circumstances that will unfold in our life.  We can never know the value God places on where we are, nor can we know how our being there is working for good in our life and in the lives of thoe who are sharing it with us.