Si Dios Quiere…
If God wants…
Lord willing…
I've heard this English phrase often in the past from my grandparents’ generation
but I never gave it a lot of thought. It’s a biblical concept… but it often
falls to the wayside among a generation that has an independent mindset and a
view of the world full of control.
Lord willing…
Last weekend my refrigerator died. Friday morning its contents just didn't seem
chilled to the usual level. And after being away all day, I was eager to check
on the items in the freezer when I got home at ten o’clock… still cool to the
touch but definitely thawed. And the motor didn't kick in when I turned the
thermostat to a colder setting. Dead…
Other missionaries had given me the small antique model when
I moved into my apartment at the end of May. A pale green, Mitsubishi made in
Japan… a good brand that had served me
without hesitation for the past nine months. I was surprised that it suddenly
was on the fritz.
Monday afternoon the repairman arrived. He had been
recommended to me by the wife of the pastor of Christ Church, the English language
church I attend on Sunday mornings. I was impressed by his professional
attitude (and the fact that I could actually understand his Spanish – we were
able to communicate without too much difficulty!). He began to check out the
refrigerator and after several minutes he was able to get the motor to run. But
the cooling elements in the freezer compartment didn't seem to respond. He
tried several other “maneuvers” but to no avail – there was no temperature
change evident.
A good fifteen or twenty minutes passed as he tested this
and that. He began to explain that refrigerators of this age sometimes just
gave up the ghost without warning… that I most likely would need to purchase a
new one… that a miracle might be necessary for my old icebox…
I explained that as a Christian, I believed in a God that
can perform miracles… but maybe not this time or with my refrigerator. He
chuckled and shared that his grandmother used to always say, “Si Dios quiere” –
meaning “If God wants.” I smiled and said that sometimes my prayers turned into
“Por favor, Dios, quiere!” (Please, God, want to!”).
We both chuckled at our light-hearted interaction and then
he said he wanted to check the cooling element in the freezer one last time. He
opened the door and looked inside and then motioned for me to come have a look
myself… the metal tubing was white with frost! My refrigerator was working! We
were both a bit dumbfounded at the moment and then he gathered his composure
and said he’d continue to check various parts of the appliance to see what the
problem might have been. In the end, he replaced a sensor and the fridge has
been working fine ever since.
God has been teaching me a lot about faith lately. He seems
to want me to trust Him in new ways – with all of my heart. This experience
with the refrigerator and the repairman is just one of several examples of how
He has been impressing me with His “more than I ask or imagine” extravagance. I
am not always a fast learner… but He is still willing.
Si Dios quiere…
Thank You, God, that You are willing!
