DUCKS OUT OF ROW
Just over a year ago, my family found out that we would need to move from the house we had rented for three years and find a new home here in Raleigh. Once we got over the initial shock of discovering we would be searching for another place to live at the end of our lease, we went to work to make sure our kids could stay in their current school. Concisely put, we would need to move into our new home before July 1 in order to assure that our son, Hayden, could remain at his current school throughout his elementary years. The problem? Our lease was up on July 31.
Our landlord graciously offered to shorten our lease by one month, allowing us the opportunity to move to our new home before July 1, 2016, thereby assuring that Hayden would remain at his current school for the next 4 years, if we so chose to enroll him there.
Through a process that included many phone calls, several e-mails and a tear or two, we had all of our ducks in a row – or so we thought.
Not long after we moved into our home, we got word from the school district that there was a stray “duck” of which we had not previously been aware, and Hayden would most likely have to attend a new school, beginning next year (2017-18), after all. Since then, we have worked through a fairly detailed transfer process, and each step along the way, no matter how many ducks we got in a row, we have discovered it is likely not enough, and he will be enrolled in a new school next year.
This process has reminded me that this is the world in which we live – a world full of stray “ducks.” So, what does it mean to trust in God when our ducks get out of row?
In Proverbs 16:9, we’re told, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” Sometimes we try so hard to get all of our ducks in a row that we forget to submit our ways to the one who really knows what is best for His people. This is why the writer reminds us, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established” (Prov. 16:2).
Our first priority is often to commit our work to accomplish our goals, but we are graciously reminded that, because we are loved by a God who knows better than we do what is best for our lives, we are set free by Jesus to “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness,” knowing that He will provide exactly what we need to enable us to be made more like Jesus.
Are you so busy getting all of your ducks in a row that you forget to seek Him first? How do you respond to that stray duck? May God give us the grace to ask Him to commit our ways to Him, and leave the results in His gracious hands.