Praises!

The sermon on Sunday was on Mark 4:35-41 when Jesus calms the storm. What a wonderful preparation God did of my heart to weather through the next day. The disciples were in a tight spot and almost about the sink so they said "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" Do you not care? Notice they didn't say "God of heaven and earth, save us!" They were upset because he wasn't panicking with them! At this point they still didn't have faith in Him as God, only as a knowledgeable teacher. But He had said they were going to cross over to the other side. He knew it wasn't His time to die. Jesus was totally at peace with the Father's plan because He believed what God had already told Him before the storm came.

Monday was the film festival deadline for the documentary Kevin is working on. He had been gone all week hammering away through sleepless nights at the office, trying to make this deadline. But technology kept crashing and footage would go missing and it just wasn't happening. He wasn't sure if he should call it quits and come home or to push through even though he knew it couldn't be done. Knowing that this movie is not his but the Lord's gave him motivation to press on in faith. But Monday morning came around and he said "We're not going to make it." After all that work! After all those long hours! After all the fervent prayer! For nothing?
We were just like the disciples, draining water from the boat desperately hoping it would make a difference. But I knew the story. What had God said? This was His movie and He will do with it what He wills. Had He really wanted it at the film festival? We were all convinced of it until it seemed impossible to do so. But I was not going to be guilty of saying "Don't you care!" I knew He did. But where does that leave us? And how do I encourage my husband when I don't really see a way out either. I didn't say anything to Kevin but just prayed that God would save us by His power. Get the computers working right, fix the hard drives, give the men supernatural energy! We need a miracle! But as the day went on, I didn't hear any report of things changing on the technological end. The Lords will be done...
And then there was an email in the inbox. Despite a previous denial of an extension to Kevin's request, the film festival, for unrelated reasons to us, had decided to move the deadline to two weeks from now.
I think my prayers were a little too small. I wasn't thinking there was any way the whole film festival would be altered just to accommodate us. I even thought asking for an extension was a stretch seeing as the rules were specific on no exceptions. But God is in the business of orchestration. His providence, who can understand? There was probably a much bigger reason why He allowed the film festival to postpone the deadline than just our little movie, but He knew from the beginning that it would be an answer to our prayers. Praise Him! He is the author and finisher of our faith. He has a plan for our little movie, because it's His, to take and do with what he wills.

By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. (Psalm 42:8 ESV)

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul. (Psalm 143:8 ESV)

I had said in my alarm, "I am cut off from your sight."

But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help.

Love the Lord, all you his saints!

The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord! (Psalm 31:22-24 ESV)