Dear Friends,
The Rev Dr George MacLeod, the founder of the Iona Community and former Moderator of the Church of Scotland did not believe in coincidences, me neither.
For the last year, I have been getting to know the various school-run parents and grandparents when dropping off our daughter at pre-school. Through these vital connections come opportunities for playdates, birthday parties and more.
Last week we attended a party for one little boy, and as often happens we have become friends with two of the families. One of the dads works at the university where our older daughter is studying, while one of the mums attended pre-school here at our church. My first response was “small world”. But then I began to wonder about God’s intelligent design in bringing us together.
Another instance happened on Monday, normally my day off, I was preparing for worship with our music director and who should stop in but a young man, now himself a university professor, who grew up in our church. Much to our delight he is around for the week and will be attending our worship on Sunday.
But there is more. The gentleman in question grew up with a love for music and has gone from child prodigy to becoming an organ virtuoso and will be playing at the beginning and end of our worship this week. Come and hear him play as we praise God for His guiding hand upon our lives.
God does work in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform, and is indeed working His purpose out as we reflected last Sunday, and as we sang in one of our hymns:
There’s a song in every silence,
seeking word and melody.
There’s a dawn in every darkness,
bringing hope to you and me.
From the past will come the future,
what it holds, a mystery,
unrevealed until its season,
something God alone can see.
Pastor Cliff