Fingerprints

An article from the 1/25/17 Weekly Update by Tim Keller

Some of the best crime dramas on television discover the truth by looking for fingerprints. They’re not always obvious and apparently you have to develop a trained eye to be able to see them. When you finally discover them and trace them backwards it becomes possible to know where to lay the responsibility for the event that happened. The process is quite fascinating and apparently many Americans agree as these types of shows account for some of the most watched in the world.

Last week I had a day when the fingerprints of God were all over my world. As a matter of fact, only my untrained eyes keep me from saying how many other days have been like it and I just didn’t notice or pay attention.

The day started with a few hours of studying the Word in my office. That was followed by a meeting that I thought would be typical. A representative from a company the church was looking to do business with walked into my office to talk with me. The goal was to upgrade the church phone system and I fully anticipated that to get the perks we wanted would cost us some additional money. In the end, the monthly cost actually dropped by more than $60 and we will now have an awesome system with new phones, voicemail, intercom and a button that orders pizza delivery 24/7. Okay, I lied about the button, but the rest of it is true!

I was just thinking about going home for lunch when Tanner de Bien called and asked if I could help him deliver a chair to a residence in downtown Carlisle. He stopped by in his big truck to pick me up and when I asked where we would be going, he gave the address of a couple I know who has fallen on some really hard times physically. The new chair was actually for the husband to sleep in since his wife can no longer take the stairs to their bedroom on the second floor. During our brief stop I had the chance to pray with them and remind them of God’s eternal love and strength.

That afternoon I learned of a dear saint’s passing into glory and mourned the loss of a good friend’s mother. A few hours later I was sitting with some close friends celebrating a birthday and enjoying cake and hot tea. I was fascinated by the gentle weaving of death, life and the love of friends who can grieve in one moment and laugh in the next. It was the essence of life with Jesus and I sensed His fingerprints all over the day.

You see, whether we find ourselves in the right place at the right time, negotiating a deal, delivering a chair, shedding tears or celebrating a joyous moment, we live in the presence of Almighty God. His fingerprints are not just found in the cushioned pews of a church sanctuary; they can also be found in any one of a dozen moments in an ordinary day that becomes extraordinary when we realize who is walking with us.