But God....What a Beautiful Phrase

But God.... It's a phrase you find often in Scripture. And it's a phrase that has been ringing in my heart.


Just over a week ago, on a cold and rainy day, we were made aware that we had multiple gas leaks in our house. Some would say it was a lucky coincidence that the leaks were discovered. Since I don't believe in coincidences, I would not be one of those people.


On that cold and rainy Thursday, the gas company was in our neighborhood doing a routine meter check. When he checked our meter, he discovered bubbles coming up from the meter. He checked our generator. More bubbles. He rang our doorbell and informed us of the situation and asked to check inside. When he discovered that there were leaks at all - not some, but all - the connections in our house, he shut off our meter because it was a dangerous situation.


Fortunately, repairs were made quickly and the gas was turned back on before the house got too cold. But as I think back on what might have happened if those leaks had not been discovered, I am overwhelmed. We were completely oblivious to the danger, but God knew exactly what we needed.


Thinking about this potential disaster has reminded me of other almost-disastrous situations. When we lived in the mountains, we had several almost-off-the-road-off-the-side-of-the-mountain experiences. But God intervened.


There was the time in Montana, as we were heading back to the airport after a week on mission that our car hit a patch of black ice as we were driving across a river. We went into a tailspin that could have landed us in the river. But God intervened.



Some years ago, back when we lived in Connecticut, we were driving down Route 2 from the airport in Hartford back to Ledyard where we lived. It was late at night. We were out in the country, and it was very dark. The road was covered in snow. We hit a patch of ice and began to spin. When the spin stopped, we were pointed back in the direction from which we had come. And we could see the headlights of another car coming right toward us. It's really difficult to get a car turned on a patch of ice and get it pointed in the direction you want it to go. But God intervened.



In these, and many other instances, God has intervened. 



But God.  I love that phrase.


Just a few days ago, we could have been victims of a gas explosion. 

But God......

Once I was dead in trespasses and sins, according to Ephesians 2:1.

But God......

And that's the best "but God" of them all!

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses and sins, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved......." (Ephesians 2:4-5 ESV)

But God......

What a beautiful phrase!