Matthew Costner

Last week, a guy from Lowes came to install my new counter top in the kitchen. I’m pretty excited about it. The old counter top was super old and had paint on it, but the new one looks great! I kind of feel like I have a new kitchen. Well, sort of new.

My parents came into town, to help finish putting up some lights and get a few ins and outs done while the kitchen was being updated. I’ve been swamped with work the last several weeks and was not able to finish everything that needed to be updated or fixed. My parents wanted to be here when the counter tops were put in, so they decided to help me get everything else done. Don’t worry, I’m not spoiled!

I love fixing up my little condo. The problem is that everything I want to do cost money. And, not just a little money, but a lot!

Luckily I had saved up enough money to help with everything. It’s a good thing too because I am no longer on staff at the church I was working for. I have mixed emotions about it all, but none of anger or regret that I’m not there because I chose to leave.

What I do have mixed emotions about is the relationships that I had while there. Some of them were amazing, some cordial, some tolerant, and some weren’t great. To be completely blunt, I thought more were good than maybe are. Not that many of the relationships weren’t good, but one not being great is one to many to me.

This morning though as I think about my time there, I wonder what all God wanted me to see and what maybe God wanted them to see while I was there. I have to believe that in everything we do, whether it’s good or bad that in some shape or another God has a plan. Not just a normal plan that we could have thought of ourselves, but plans to prosper us and not harm us, plans to give us hope and a future (taken from Jeremiah 29:11).

In Mark 6:6 Jesus was wrapping up a visit with his hometown people and was frustrated with them. Literally, Jesus said, “He was amazed at their lack of faith.” Specifically Jesus is talking about the people who wouldn’t listen to His teaching and believe in Him. But nonetheless, Jesus was frustrated. I have to wonder what it was that Jesus was preaching.

I bet Jesus talked about the future. For me, that’s hard to talk about. The future is the unknown. We can plan for it, but we never know how it’s going to pan out (If your life is like mine then what and where you are in life isn’t where you thought you would be at all).

I can picture Jesus’ hometown crowd wondering how in the world Jesus was making all these claims about Him being God’s son. It had to be difficult for them to place their future in the hands of the local boy. No wonder Jesus got frustrated. He knew what they needed, and yet they didn’t respond.

Lately my faith hasn’t been where I need it to be. I haven’t struggled putting my future in the hands of the local boy. I’ve struggled putting my future in the hands of God All Mighty, the one the future belongs too. Isn’t that strange?

I mean, I love the Lord, but I don’t always trust Him like I should. In the last few days Jesus has probably been amazed at my lack of faith too. My bills are piling up, the enemy is attacking in a lot of directions, and I’m stressed about my future. But Jesus knows what we need, just like He knew what his hometown needed. Best of all, He won’t leave us in the meantime. All we need to do is seek Him and He’ll give us our needs while protecting us along the way.

Check out Matt Redman’s song “You Never Let Go.” It is a great reminder that wherever we are God is always there.