notesbynora

Scripture: “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you.” — Luke 22:10

Before the Last Supper, Jesus gave His disciples simple instructions. They were to go into the city and follow a man carrying a jar of water. There they would find the place prepared for them.

At first glance, this detail may seem small. Yet it reminds us that God is at work in both the grand and the ordinary moments of our lives.

I drove my sister back and forth to Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta for 42 days straight. She was receiving radiation and chemo. The journey was tough. I was teaching English online starting at 4:00 a.m., and we would leave by 9:00 a.m. One particular day it was pouring down rain – we were running late – I didn’t realize I had left my debit card in a pair of jeans at home – and we had no money. And you guessed it – I needed gas. We were maybe 30 minutes from Emory.

I had decided I’d pull in at a gas station and just count coins.

As I pulled in and parked at a pump, I looked to my left, and a dear friend was at the pump. I started to cry. My sister did too for she knew very clearly God’s Hand was at work.

After hugging her neck, she immediately asked how she could help me. “How is it that you are here? In Atlanta?” I asked with tears in my eyes.

“I felt God telling me to pull in. I thought it was because I was sleepy and needed coffee,” she whispered. “I didn’t know it was because you needed me.”

The full picture – the bigger picture – God is always working to give us what we need, when we need it.

The disciples did not have the full picture. They did not understand all that would happen in the days ahead, but they obeyed the next instruction given to them.

Faith often unfolds this way.

It is certainty and clarity that we long for; yet God frequently leads us one step at a time, inviting us to trust His provision along the way.

Holy Week is filled with such preparations because everything points to Sunday morning. The morning it all changed for us – the morning Jesus got up, folded His garment, and won. With each day of Holy Week, God is showing us how He weaves our redemption, moment by moment.

Today, you may find yourself in a season of preparation and anticipation. Maybe you are waiting for direction and wondering what comes next. Take comfort in knowing that God is already arranging what you cannot yet see. Your role is not to control the entire story. Your role is to follow step by step faithfully.

Prayer:

Father, help me trust Your guidance in both the big decisions and the quiet moments of preparation. Lead me step by step into Your purposes. Amen.