Well it’s snowing like crazy here in Northeastern Pennsylvania, but to be honest, its overdue. We’ve had it pretty easy so far this year and a few of us here in the office were getting a bit antsy for some snow. After all, what would winter be without a few decent snowstorms?
Hopefully you’ve had the opportunity to hear The Unexpected Return airing on your local Christian radio station. If not, stop on over to the Lamplighter homepage where you can listen to the most recent episode.
The Unexpected Return is the story of a family’s struggle to remain faithful to God even in the midst of their most terrible trials. When the kindly and giving baron, Jacques d’Erlau, is taken prisoner by French rebels, his wife and children must flee for their lives, leaving all that they know behind. In the cover of heavy fog the baron’s wife, Isabelle, and her son, Charles, escape the clutches of the rebels now pursuing them as they make their way to Suavia to find safety. Forced to beg for food and shelter, Isabelle and Charles now find themselves the unexpected guests of a couple with whom they have a strange connection. Meanwhile, Jacques is in prison, but remains faithful to the Lord as his impending execution nears.
From the very beginning you’ll see how Jacques, though wealthy and aristocratic, gives freely of his resources to help families in need and how God uses this to turn evil into good. And though he is unjustly imprisoned and now faces death, Jacques’ faith is unwavering and even helps to fortify the faith of many around him. His adherence to the Word of God echoes across the land and in the hearts of a small poor family who save his wife and son from certain peril.
In the first episode there is a truth that stands out above all of the rest. It deals with our tendency to act before seeking God. When we act on our own strength we undermine God’s perfect plan and the timing upon which He intends to execute that plan. Our first action should always be to pray and to seek God’s wisdom and guidance before we engage in whatever stands before us. God does not want us to act in our own strength any more than He wants us to sit by the sidelines. But it is vital that our hearts and minds are in tune with what steps God wants us to take in this life and we can begin to achieve that through a spirit and habit of constant communication with Him.
