joining the dots

What amazing lines of connection the Lord keeps drawing!

When I was in at the local primary school before the summer break I got chatting to one of the teachers there and said I'd get the folk back here to pray for him and for his wife and family as they looked for new accommodation.

Turns out that his wife teaches at a school in another part of town where one of the leaders here, Derek, is also on the teaching staff. They got chatting the other day and before too long it slowly dawned on Derek who this was - I think that we've been praying for you! he said: and once she got over her initial shock, she realised what was going on and said how grateful they had been for all our prayers.

So when I was in at the school again today, at coffee time, I sought the teacher out to say how glad I was that his wife and Derek had had the chance to meet. The conversation flowed and the end result was his enquiring if there'd ever been the like of an SU group in the school.

Sort of, I said: and sort of not (there hasn't been an SU group as such - there was at one point a group who were in doing a Bible club). But if he was keen to go ahead and think about it now, then I was with him all of the way!

This is something we've been waiting for and looking for and praying for for years! I jumped at the chance - another open door.

Well, an open door as long as the head agreed. I said I'd be willing to raise the matter with him.

I did. There and then. I mean, it was the good guy's version of an old-time Brian Rix farce. The teacher walked out to go back to his class - and in walked the head!

So I ran the notion past him and he seemed entirely happy and suggested that I try and see the depute head next week (she takes to do with lunchtime clubs).

Well, fair enough, I thought. If need be I can wait a week (I've waited more than nineteen years so far!). But walking down the corridor to leave (and it's sufficiently narrow you can barely have two people pass), who walks down but (well, you guessed it!) the depute head herself!

Like Balaam's donkey in the narrow lane: there was no way past! So I ran it past her and she herself had been at SU groups when she was still at school and thought that it would be just fine.

Talk about joining the dots! In a single, fleeting visit to the school, the Lord just drew a line between these countless dots which over months and years he's quietly put in place. And thereby starts to open up a door for more effective ministry among the children at the school.

A lot of the time, I've come to see, we're simply working away with the Lord in putting the dots in place. Little dots or markers, that in and of themselves have little obvious consequence: but once in place, they're there for when the Lord decides it's time to join them up.

There was a bit of that putting the dots in place today as well.

It was Donna's birthday. Donna helps with the cleaning here in our halls. Very much part of the team. A single Mum, she loves it here and does a brilliant job.

So we marked the day with a cake and some gifts, and a card and a plant and ... well, just making a fuss of the girl. In itself, just another little thing. Another dot.

Just like my calling by again tonight and spending time in touching base with the family who a week or two ago had been bereaved. Nothing consequential, though we touched on things like happiness and love. Just touching base. Another dot.

But all those dots are not a waste of time. For somewhere down the line there always comes a day when God begins to join the dots and opens up a door to something wonderfully new!