“‘Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him?’ declares the Lord. ‘Do I not fill heaven and earth?’ declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 23:24 ESV)

In a recent devotional, I described my incorrect conclusion about the absence of a fellow resident. In further discussion with Valerie, we were both amazed at the rest of the story.

Valerie was on a video call with her brother-in-law in Vancouver, Canada, thousands of kilometres away on the west coast, when she suddenly passed out and fell. Her brother-in-law immediately telephoned her son in Haliburton, about 200 kilometres north of where we live in Toronto. In turn, he contacted our concierge, who contacted our nurse, who rushed to her third-floor suite. When it was determined that she required more serious assistance, the ambulance was called and Valerie was rushed to the hospital emergency.

While great distance, a very short period of time, and a number of people were involved, Valerie was totally unaware of the work that was done behind the scenes to come to her aid so quickly.

As Valerie and I talked about this, we both realized that not many years ago, this type of efficient communication over such a wide distance would not have been possible. As human beings, we are certainly making progress in our ability to communicate. Technology continues to allow us to move forward, hopefully for the good.

While our progress seems amazing, it pales into insignificance when compared with God’s ability to work in our lives behind the scenes. Today’s verse from Jeremiah tells us that He is everywhere at all times and is not restricted by time and space as we are.

Most often, we aren’t aware of how much God is at work in our lives — like the majority of an iceberg, which is hidden below the water surface, with only a small portion visible above. Certainly, in Valerie’s case, almost 100 percent of the work was hidden from her!

As I face my daily challenges, I am so grateful that God is working on my behalf, even though I can’t see it. I am encouraged by the words from Paul:

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13 KJV)

When we pray, may we all be simply awe-struck by the unlimited, sovereign power and the infinite love that God has for us as He works for our good and His glory, behind the scenes.

Prayer: Dear Father, we are grateful that You are everywhere and in total control. Thank You for understanding our desire to serve You and to help others. Thank You for working in us and for us, even when we can’t see it. In the name of our Saviour, we humbly pray. Amen.

Copyright © 2021, by Vincent Walter <vwalter@bell.net>, first published on the PresbyCan Daily Devotional presbycan.ca .
Beaverton, Oregon, USAToronto, Ontario, Canada

Reprinted from PresbyCan with author’s permission