Today a young mother called me, excited about what God did to encourage her family. Her husband has a good job, but they have four little ones, and they live in an expensive area of California. Within the last week, they ran out of money, even for the basics.
A neighbor asked my friend for help packing for a move. She agreed. Then she discovered that what her neighbor most needed was someone to take the food that would otherwise go to waste. She took home ten grocery sacks of food—most of it exactly what she would buy.
This morning her husband went out the door to go to work. Someone had left a card on the windshield, which included a $100 gift certificate for a nearby food store.
God was at work providing for this family’s needs, and as my friend emphasized, in answer to their prayers. Her oldest daughter, a six-year-old, said, “I knew God did that for other people, but I didn’t know he would do that for us.”
Boy, that felt familiar. I’ve thought the same thing. Too often.
Yes, God does that . . . but will he do that for me?
I got off the phone and considered how I might be caught in that kind of thinking right now. It didn’t take long to identify a few areas of shaky trust: a ministry opportunity, a relationship, a miscommunication, a fear.
During our conversation, my friend had also shared this verse:
A neighbor asked my friend for help packing for a move. She agreed. Then she discovered that what her neighbor most needed was someone to take the food that would otherwise go to waste. She took home ten grocery sacks of food—most of it exactly what she would buy.
This morning her husband went out the door to go to work. Someone had left a card on the windshield, which included a $100 gift certificate for a nearby food store.
God was at work providing for this family’s needs, and as my friend emphasized, in answer to their prayers. Her oldest daughter, a six-year-old, said, “I knew God did that for other people, but I didn’t know he would do that for us.”
Boy, that felt familiar. I’ve thought the same thing. Too often.
Yes, God does that . . . but will he do that for me?
I got off the phone and considered how I might be caught in that kind of thinking right now. It didn’t take long to identify a few areas of shaky trust: a ministry opportunity, a relationship, a miscommunication, a fear.
During our conversation, my friend had also shared this verse:
The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)
“Save” in the first sentence is the Hebrew word, yasa, a verb which means help, deliver, defend, or rescue. Its root word carries the idea of wide open freedom.
God is always available. He will meet me in my struggles and be the warrior God fighting for my rescue and freedom—from anything that traps or binds me. And when I’m faced with circumstances that make my heart pound with anxiety or worry, he is there to quiet me with his love.
God is always available. He will meet me in my struggles and be the warrior God fighting for my rescue and freedom—from anything that traps or binds me. And when I’m faced with circumstances that make my heart pound with anxiety or worry, he is there to quiet me with his love.
Think I’ll go spend some time with my Warrior God. Want to join me?
Jan
Jan
http://www.jankern.com/
3 comments:
Amen, Jan. Needed this one today. Your picture snagged me. Then it was your powerful words.
Thank you.
Love,
Julie
Amen, Jan. Needed this one today. Your picture snagged me. Then it was your powerful words.
Thank you.
Love,
Julie
You're welcome, Julie. Always good to encourage one another. :)
Thanks for stopping by.
Love,
Jan
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