In His Hands

Every time I walk into the Operation Christmas Child Shoebox room at the church I am reminded that God has the whole world in His hands. The shoeboxes, once filled with gifts, go all around the world as a way to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is not just that He knows what country each shoebox filled with love is going to, which He does. It is not just that he knows the hands that will hug every doll and scrub up with each bar of soap, which He does. For me, the reminder comes in the room itself.

About twenty years ago a bunch of kids in the church youth group painted the room with broad stripes and bright colors. Nine years ago when Diane and I came to tour the church we were being sent to, upon showing us that room one of the trustees expressed their dismay at the paint job. They said they were not thrilled when it was painted that way and obviously the decade that had passed had not changed their feelings. The seeds of hope were planted that perhaps the new pastor would set things right in the room. thing were indeed set right in the room. Twenty years ago the Lord had a purpose for that paint job that the trustees and even the youth who painted it were unaware of. It was not long before old musty couches and chairs were mercifully discarded eventually replaces by shelving on the walls. For the last seven or eight years it has been the OCC Shoebox room. God knew it all along. He knows when this season for the room will end when the colorful vertical stripes will finally be painted over. He knows this because He knows everything. And He is always doing something.

Every time I walk into the Operation Christmas Child Shoebox room at the church I am reminded that God has the whole world in His hands. Sometimes I really need that reminder.