Mysterious Ways

God Moves in a Mysterious Way. This is the title to a hymn written by William Cowper in the late 18th century. This phrase, while not in the Bible, is likely inspired by Isaiah 55:8-9, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.’ This is the LORD’s declaration. ‘For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” God has thoughts, plans, and ways that we cannot understand—because they are too great, too high, and beyond our comprehension. While the Isaiah verse was likely written 2500 to 2700 years ago and the hymn more than 150 years ago, the idea of God being active and moving in the world today continues to be true.

I recently read an article that highlights that fact. In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina lives Marc Hidden, his wife Beth and their two young sons. In 2011, Marc and Beth, were praying to have one more child, a girl, when they were given bad news—Beth would not be able to have another child. The family was devastated by the news. However, the bad news they received was not the end of the story. The Hadden’s continued to pray for a baby girl, but as they looked into adoption, they knew they could not afford it on Marc’s salary. Marc was a firefighter and a first-responder. It is very clear that God was aware of all of these things. This can be seen by the events that unfolded on Monday, November 14, 2011.

Marc, a 20 year veteran firefighter was working that Monday. An unusually slow day, the men at the firehouse just sat down to eat when a call came in. Marc and his partner, got up, hopped into one of the fire station ambulances and responded to a woman with severe abdominal pain. When he and his partner arrived, the abdominal pain transitioned into active labor. In the back of their ambulance, knowing they couldn’t get to a hospital in time, Marc delivered a baby girl. Following the delivery, Marc and his partner took both mother and baby to the hospital. Before they left, Marc learned that the mother wanted to put the baby up for adoption. Encouraged by the nurses he spoke to the mother and then went home to speak with his wife. Both of them decided that this could be God’s plan for them, so the following morning both of them went to visit the mother. On Wednesday, they took home a little girl. In 2012, the adoption was finalized. This was all part of God’s plan. The plan of our God who is still active and moving in mysterious ways.